Our new theme “Centennial of Flight: Born of dreams. Inspired by Freedom” has been unveiled. Feedback has been extremely positive.
The National Plan for The Centennial of Flight Commemoration has been published and distributed to every member of Congress, Vice President Cheney, heads of Executive Branch agencies, and members of the COFC and the First Flight Centennial Federal Advisory Board. It will also be available on the COFC web site. Many thanks to all that contributed information to the National Plan and very special thanks to Jan Ferguson and Tony Sculimbrene for all their time and effort pulling the information together into a final polished document.
The FY 2002 COFC budget appears to be $750k (level from FY 2001) rather than the $900k level that was authorized in the legislation.
The following is a quick update on some media activity:
First, a 2 minute segment on Ken Hyde is scheduled to run this Friday (December 7, 2001) on ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. The reporter, Ned Potter, had
read an AP article about the AIAA's plane earlier this year, and through his
conversations, he found out about The Wright Experience. CRT spoke with Mr. Potter, and he asked us to keep him updated on Centennial activity. He is very interested in doing more stories.
Also from the COFC outreach bench this month:
- We've started a relationship with NBC's Today Show producers, who have
asked us to come up and brief them in February.
- We've gained interest from both a CBS News correspondent and producer, and
plan to visit them in February too.
- Our conversation with ABC's Ned Potter, has led us to producers at Good
Morning America, 20/20 and Primetime for pitching stories to.
- We've started a relationship with two reporters at the Washington Post.
- Releases regarding MOA's were sent out to begin a knowledge base for our
state-level reporters.
- We have held conversations with several newspaper reporters at the state
level in response to MOA releases.
- We have developed media contacts for in-flight and travel magazines, and
plan to pitch travel stories to them starting in January.
- We have made initial contact with a Delta Airlines contact regarding their
plans to participate in Centennial activities
The next U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission meeting will be January 30, 2002 at the National Air and Space Museum.
On December 5, 2001, “The Case of the Wright Invention” will be featured on The Why? Files.
Aerospace Industries Association is hosting the 37th Annual Year-End Aerospace Review and Forecast Luncheon on December 12, 2001.
Roger Launius and Jan Ruff will hold a meeting of the History and Education Panel on December 13, 2001 to review the 6 applications we have received for “Centennial Partner” status.
“Reflecting on a Century of Flight: Honoring the Past, Inventing the Future” is an afternoon symposium hosted by NASA. Information and registration for the December 14, 2001 event is available at www.aerospace.nasa.gov/centuryofflight/
The Wright Memorial Dinner sponsored by the Aero Club of Washington will take place the evening of December 14, 2001.
COFC is supporting an FAA hosted event, The Wright Brothers’ 98th Anniversary Celebration of the 1st Powered Flight, on December 17, 2001 at Reagan National Airport that will include 700 students and 100 teachers. Secretary Mineta and Administrator Garvey may attend.
Next meeting of the Evolution of Flight Committee is scheduled for January 14, 2002 in Reno, Nevada. Up to date program and registration information can be found on the AIAA Web site at www.aiaa.org, calendar of events.
The National Park Service has a photo contest now running to select the photo of a national park that will appear on the Park Pass in 2003. It would be great if the Wright Brothers could be on the Park Pass that year. The contest deadline is January 15, 2002. For information, go to http://www.nationalparks.org/ProudPartner/photo/newphotocontest/index.cfm
We are considering having a second meeting of the First Flight Centennial Federal Advisory Board in February 2002.
On March 16-19, 2002, the National Air & Space Museum will host its 15th Annual Mutual Concerns of Air & Space Museums Seminar in Washington, DC. Contact: Jane Pisano, National Air & Space Museum, MRC 310, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC 20560-0310, Tel.: (202) 357-4473, Fax x4579, E-Mail: jane.pisano@nasm.si.edu.
We are working on our first licensing agreement with C. Forbes, Inc. They presented at one of our earlier Commission meetings.
We are working on memoranda of agreements with the U.S. Air Force Centennial Office and the Aero Club of France.
The media kit and the brochure/poster are coming together nicely.
New additions to our COFC Web site include the Library of Congress Wright Brothers bibliography, The Wright Experience’s “The Engine” presentation, press releases, minutes to the First Flight Centennial Federal Advisory Board meeting, a reformatted Educational Matrix, and the COFC brochure. Going up this month will be the first installment of the Timeline essays, images of the Library of Congress glass plate photographs, and the National Plan.
Debbie Gallaway attended Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy Committee planning meetings on November 5 and 28, 2001. She also serves as a member of the Brewer Educational Forum responsible for developing a plan that will help the creators of aerospace educational products better understand and meet the needs of educators and students. She attended a National Coalition for Aviation Education meeting November 29, 2001.
Webcasts/chats to celebrate 100 years of powered flight will take place from October through December. More information and the schedule of the live webcasts can be found at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/calendar/index.html
Mr. Charles Krohn, Public Affairs, U.S. Army, is planning centennial activities to take place at Fort Myer in 2003.
The COFC has been contacted by Dr. Michael Fopp, Director, Royal Air Force Museum; Bernard Scoffie, a producer for French television; and Louise Doolan, Developmental Researcher, Flame TV (London). CRT is following up with them.
“Following the Footsteps of the Wright Brothers: Their Sites and Stories,” was hosted by Wright State University on September 28, 2001.
“They Taught the World to Fly: The Wright Brothers and the Age of Flight,” sponsored by North Carolina’s First Flight Centennial Commission featured retired Army Gen. Henry H. “Hugh” Shelton as their keynote speaker. It took place from October 22-25, 2001. Educational workshops were run in parallel with the symposium.
On November 1, 2001, Dr. Tom Crouch spoke at “Flight Before The Wrights: Octave Chanute, Chicago” at the University of Chicago. Details of their new exhibit are at www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar/exhibits/oc-chanute.html
Women in Aviation, Inc., Airbus and NASA sponsored a one day symposium on November 1, 2001, “Women and Aerospace: Pioneers, Leaders & Policymakers.”
The Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace industry held its first meeting November 27, 2001. The Chairman is Robert S. Walker. The Commission is organized into five key subcommittee areas: technology, investment, global issues, infrastructure and human capital. The Commission was congressionally mandated to study the future of the U.S. aerospace industry in the global economy, particularly in relationship to U.S. national security.
The COFC logo was one design selected as a possibility for the U.S. Mint commemorative coin. This is being worked through the First Flight Centennial Foundation.
The Why? Files has been nominated for a second (regional) Emmy – this time through the Nashville and Midsouth Regional Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Why? Files show that received the nomination was “The Challenging Flight,” which included General Dailey and the EAA Young Eagles highlights. The winners will be announced at the Emmy Awards Banquet and Telecast on Saturday, February 2, 2002.
Articles on the centennial celebration appeared in the Dayton Daily News, PR Newswire, The Daily Press (Newport News, VA) and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. COFC was featured in the Fall 2001 The Orbit, the newsletter for NASA Educational Workshops Alumni; the July/August 2001 issue of Aviation for Women; the AIAA newsletter; NASA history newsletter, and Space Times, the magazine of the American Astronautical Society.
The COFC staff was contacted by Sandy Semans, Outer Bank Sentinel, and Peter DuJardin, Daily Press of Newport News, for phone interviews.
A number of press releases have been issued recently announcing memoranda of agreements that have been signed. They are available on the COFC web site at www.centennialofflight.gov
In addition, the following press releases have been issued:
“Engineers Test Wright Glider Replica in Wind Tunnel” was released November 1, 2001.
“Webcasts/Chats to Celebrate Nearly 100 Years of powered Flight” was released October 11, 2001.
“Inventing Flight Class of 2003 Heads to NASA Glenn Center” was released October 5, 2001.
“Wright “B” Flyer Replica Arrives From West Coast to Wright B Flyer, Inc.” was released September 17, 2001.
“EAA Aviation Foundation, NASA Sign Memo of Understanding for Joint Education Program” was released July 27, 2001.
The Department of Special Collections and Archives at Wright State University Libraries announced the debut of its completely revised Web site at http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/