OCTOBER ACTIVITY REPORT
The next U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission meeting will be held jointly with the First Flight Centennial Federal Advisory Board meeting on October 24, 2002, in Dayton, Ohio. The next media summit will be held that same afternoon, October 24, 2002, in Dayton, Ohio, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The Commission, CRT, N.C. and Ohio are working together to coordinate our three Centennial kick-off ceremonies. The national kick-off ceremony will be held on December 17, 2002, at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. CRT is working on securing presence from key government and military personnel, as well as flight pioneers representing aviation and aerospace throughout the last century.
On October 10, Secretary of the Interior Norton announced the donation of a full-scale, flyable reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer. The authentic reproduction of the Flyer was donated by former Learjet President Harry B. Combs and will be built by Ken Hyde and the Wright Experience.
On October 1, Virginia Secretary of Transportation Whitt Clement announced that the State of Virginia was going to suspend its financial support of the 2003 Aviation World’s Fair. Tom Kallman is currently looking for a new venue. For updates, please refer to his Web site at www.awf2003.com/.
The Commission signed a licensing agreement with Spin Master Toys on October 18.
Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) have been signed with the Chicago Centennial of Flight Commission; Mr. Greg Herrick, President of the Aviation Foundation of America, Inc.; the Challenger Center for Space Science Education; the Virginia Air & Space Center; DGVF Productions; and Space Day Foundation. MOAs are in the signature process with Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and Fayetteville Festival of Flight. We have begun MOA discussions with the National Park Service and the Navy.
The National Plan is being finalized now and will be circulated for comment and concurrence before it is published and distributed.
Partnership Updates:
On October 25, 2002, Parker Hannifin will present their first annual scholarship for the Next Century of Flight. It will be awarded to a recipient from New York’s Aviation High School.
On October 23, 2002, the First Flight Centennial Celebration Steering Committee will meet in the FAA Regional Office, Atlanta, Ga.
On October 16, 2002, we met with the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Interior Craig Manson and the National Park Service to discuss the centennial of flight celebration. Mr. Manson will be representing Secretary Norton at our upcoming joint meeting in Dayton.
The AIAA 1903 Wright Flyer Centennial Tour and Exposition began September 26, 2002 at the FAA Flight Deck Museum in Lawndale, Calif., and will end December 2, 2003. Additionally, the AIAA Wright Flyer team will attempt to actually fly a second replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer in 2003.
Kim Sawyer, First Flight Centennial Commission, has a new e-mail address. She can be contacted at KimSawyer2003nc@earthlink.net.
The Commission is working with Hollan White, Paul Dordal of Fayetteville, and Millie Flores of the Park Service to provide support for several special women focused events that will be taking place in 03.
Met with organizers of the Lumberton, N.C., event scheduled to take place May 14-18, 2003, to presented COF materials and information. They have requested COF educational materials for distribution throughout the local school system.
Attended the first committee meeting for the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy Dinner on October 15. Paul Poberezny has been selected to receive the 2002 Wright Brothers’ Memorial Trophy, which will be presented on December 13.
We are working with Aviation Week and members of the After School Alliance to distribute COF and aviation related materials to providers of after school programs throughout the country.
Aviation Specialty Resources, Inc.’s Centennial One program was closed due to lack of sponsorship and financial support.
The First Century of Flight: NACA/NASA Contributions to Aeronautics is a new NASA poster produced by Tony Springer and the NASA History Office.
Aviation Week has launched a new phase of their Next Century of Flight (NCF) program, The Next Century of Flight Forum. The NCF Forum is a worldwide series of strategic leadership workshops dedicated to ensure that the legacy of the flight centennial is more than just a joy ride on the aviation bandwagon.
The United States Air Force Museum is undergoing a major expansion. They are currently constructing a 200,000 plus square foot additional hangar and revamping the flow of the exhibits and galleries into a more historically chronological format. The major building opening/dedication is planned for Spring 2003 to coincide with the centennial celebration.
HOK Planning Group released their latest newsletter featuring Inventing Flight as one of their projects. HOK is the largest architectural/design firm in the world.
Contacted by NASA’s Office of Aerospace Technology to request use of the COFC logo in the 2003 edition of NASA Spinoff.
The latest addition to the NASA History Series, “We Freeze to Please: A History of NASA’s Icing Research Tunnel and the Quest for Safety,” tells the story of NASA Glenn Research Center’s Icing Research Tunnel that has made unparalleled contributions to a specialized area of aeronautics research that affects virtually all who fly.
The 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three individuals, 2 of whom were NASA sponsored scientists, for their pioneering work in astrophysics.
General Dailey was asked to write the Preface for “The Air Force Museum,” a publication by Nick P. Apple and Gene Guerny that is a pictorial tour of the Museum.
The Legends of Airpower will be run by a number of stations to include some in Philadelphia and San Francisco.
The NASA Student Involvement Program (NSIP) presents the new Science and Technology Journalism K-12 competition for 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 school years – “Reflecting upon the Adventures in Flight.” Entry due date is January 31, 2003. Go to NASA for theme resources at www.aerospace.nasa.gov/centuryofflight. For complete details and to obtain the entry form please visit education.nasa.gov/nsip.
The Commission received a letter from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and its park partner, the Golden Gate National Parks Association, about a number of centennial programs and activities at Crissy Field. The National Park Service hopes to sign a special use permit with the Crissy Field Aviation Historical Society for the regular display of a restored De Havilland DH-4 biplane on Crissy Field. Please contact Park Historian Stephen A. Haller at stephen haller@nps.gov for more information.
The Commission is discussing the possibility of a licensing agreement with a flag company and a pin company.
The Aviation Theme Study is moving forward again thanks to the National Park Service and the U.S. Air Force.
Outreach Activity:
Staff of the Florida International Airshow will have the COFC logo embroidered on their staff shirts and jackets.
The Commission is talking with Cathy Allen, Director of the College Park Aviation Museum, who is working on a cooperative program with the National Archives and the University of Maryland to do a big “Maryland Centennial Celebration” on April 26, 2003. The National Archives would like to put the COFC logo on the flyer and the Web site.
The Commission provided educational materials to support a workshop about the Wright brothers and flight that will be conducted at the Virginia Educational Media Association Conference on October 23. The information will be distributed to hundreds of Virginia school librarians.
COF educational materials will be distributed to educators and students from approximately 32 schools in the Washington metropolitan area in support of an annual FAA event.
COF posters, brochures and bookmarks will be distributed to attendees of the October 22, 2002 Washington Aero Club luncheon. Administrator Sean O’Keefe will be the keynote speaker.
USAopoly has contacted the Commission to discuss developing a Centennial of Flight monopoly game. We are polling our Centennial Partners to see if there is any interest in jointly developing the game. The game costs approximately $15 a piece; production time is 3-6 months; and the minimum order is 5,000 games.
The Royal Aeronautical Society has requested the use of the COFC logo on the cover of a historical publication. The Royal Aeronautical Society holds a unique collection of letters from Wilbur, Orville and Katharine Wright to early members of the Society and plans to commemorate the achievement of the Wright brothers by publishing this original collection.
We are working with the Stamp Bureau, a department of The Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations Limited, The Crown Agents Foundation. The Stamp Bureau acts as production, marketing and sales agents for a number of Commonwealth postal administrations throughout the world. The basic concept would be to show the history of powered flight on a set of 100 postage stamps from Commonwealth post offices around the world. These postage stamps will be used for official postal purposes within each country and to philatelists around the world.
NASA’s Education Division, in partnership with the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission, has developeda Centennial of Flight Educational Tool Kit. This project has been done in coordination with the U.S. Department of Education. The kit contains an eight page Education Guide, a poster featuring the Wright brothers’ 1902 glider, a NACA/NASA timeline, a 32-page History of Flight booklet and three bookmarks. The materials will be contained in a 2-pocket folder featuring the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission logo on the front. The kit will be distributed in late November, early December. CRT and Debbie Gallaway are working to distribute the kits to children’s museums as well as other educational outlets.
CRT is working with Disneyland, who is interested in doing something for the Centennial on the West Coast. CRT sent them several ideas for large events, as well as smaller spike events.
CRT has been contacting airlines with ideas for ways in which they can get involved. A few have expressed an interest and CRT is following up with those organizations. CRT is creating a similar proposal for ways in which airports can get involved and will be approaching them soon.
“The 1902 Glider, How the Problem of Control was Solved” educational poster is now available. Final edits on the existing Wright brothers' posters have been made. Both Wright brothers’ posters will be reprinted.
Media Relations
CRT has been working to secure network coverage for the December 17 kick-off ceremony. So far at least one major network is seriously considering a split broadcast that morning. CRT will continue to pitch the other networks, as well as the major daily papers and wire services.
On September 25, Dr. Tom Crouch was interviewed on National Public Radio.
Web site
We are currently redesigning the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission Web site. The current Education Resources Matrix is being reformatted and updated. CRT is planning a media relations push to drive people to the site once the redesigned site is launched.
We will be adding a new category – “Licensed Products” – to our Web site.
Upcoming additions to our Web site include the eleventh category of essays about Space flight. We have also received the Chronology, the Log Book and the Pictorial Bibliography of the Wright brothers from the Library of Congress.
Press Releases
A number of press releases have been issued recently and are available on the COFC Web site at www.centennialofflight.gov/aboutcommission.htm.
October 18, 2002 – Sprint Voyager: Countdown to Lift Off
October 10, 2002 – Secretary Norton Accepts Gift to Build Reproduction of Historic Wright Flyer – Reproduced Flyer to be on permanent display at Wright Brothers Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, N.C.
October 8, 2002 – Aviation World’s Fair Will Continue Development Plans Despite Losing Venue
October 5, 2002 – Stamps to Honor Rural Ohio, Wright Brothers
October 1, 2002 – Plans for 2003 Aviation World’s Fair Suspended
October 1, 2002 – New Book Highlights Unique NASA Facility
September 26, 2002 – English Couple First to Buy Aviation World’s Fair Tickets
September 25, 2002 – USS Kitty Hawk-based aviator to fly Wright Brothers’ replica in October commemoration
September 24, 2002 – AIA Announces Publication of Media Isn’t A Four Letter Word
September 20, 2002 – NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe and “Rocket Boy” Homer Hickam Join National Rocket Contest
Articles/Interviews
The Virginian-Pilot; The Weekly of Business Aviation; Washington Post (Kids Post); The Associated Press; Daily Press; Dayton Daily News; The Washington Times; Air Force Print News; The Ledger-Star; Richmond Times-Dispatch; South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Sun News; The Plain Dealer; Hampton Roads Monthly; Detroit Free Press; Atlanta Journal Constitution; Charlotte Observer; The Cincinnati Post; Air Force Link; AeroNews.Net; WAVY-TV; WRAL-TV; Morning Star; Guardian Unlimited; St. Paul Pioneer Press; Newport News Daily Press; KRTBN Knight-Ridder Tribune Business News; The Daily Oklahoman; America Live (radio program); Space News; and North Carolina Network News Radio.
Completed Events:
On October 12, 2002, Theatre IV presented “The Wright Stuff” at the Alden Theatre at the McLean Community Center in McLean, Va. This was co-produced by the Science Museum of Virginia and the Virginia Aviation Museum.
Debbie Gallaway traveled to Jockey’s Ridge to support representatives of the USAF, Navy and Army as they learned how to fly Nick Engler’s replica of the Wrights’ 1902 glider October 5-6. The event was widely attended by the press and flying enthusiasts.
Attended the September 26 Silver Wings Meeting that featured Walter Boyne, who talked about a new book about the Wright brothers. The Commission provided a brief up date on COF activities and educational materials. As a result of the meeting, COF materials were distributed at an international event at the National Zoo on October 5 and the 99’s Northeastern Regional Meeting that took place on October 12.
On September 25, Dr. Tom Crouch delivered a talk entitled “Inventing Flight: The Science of Balloons, the Technology of Wings” as the third annual Secretary of the Smithsonian’s Distinguished Research Lecture.
Gen. Dailey spoke at GSA’s Annual Federal Aviation Award Ceremony on September 19, 2002.
Debbie Gallaway participated in the quarterly meeting of the National Coalition for Aviation Education (NCAE) on September 19. The group would like to disseminate the 32-page brochure, “Celebrating a Century of Flight” via its 50 plus membership organizations to promote aviation and the upcoming centennial celebrations. NCAE organizations have distributed COF/NASA educational materials at various conferences, including NBAA, the World Space Congress, the Virginia State Fair and later this month, AOPA.
Jerry Yagen of Tidewater Tech in Virginia Beach, Va., contacted the Commission because the company owns a flyable “Vin Fiz” aircraft and would like to participate in the centennial of flight celebration in some way. If you are interested, Jerry can be reached at 757-490-3157.
Brad Horn has left The Roger Richman Agency and joined Brand Sense Marketing as the Vice President of Brand Development. Leslie Golden is our new contact at The Roger Richman Agency and can be reached by phone at 310-276-7000 ext. 108.
Met with David Mandell, FAA Chief of Staff, to discuss the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission, the upcoming meeting, the December 17, 2002 Kick-Off and the FAA’s role.
Other news:
Dr. Kathryn Holten has been named Vice President for Advancement at Winthrop University in South Carolina.