Washington, DC
April 24, 2003

The U.S. Postal Service will issue a 37-cent First Flight commemorative postage stamp to mark the 100th anniversary of the first controlled, powered, sustained flight in a heavier-than-air flying machine. The official first day of issue ceremony for the First Flight stamp will take place in two cities on May 22. The stamp will be issued at 10:30 a.m. ET at both the United States Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, and the Wright Brothers National Memorial Park in Kill Devil Hills, N.C.

The First Flight stamp will be available for sale at post offices in Dayton and Kill Devil Hills on the day of issuance and at post offices nationwide starting the following day.

"Just as the Postal Service touches the lives of every American in every city and in all walks of life, our stamp program continues to honor and pay tribute to the meaningful events in our history that have touched all of our lives," said Ralph Moden, Postal Service Senior Vice President, Government Relations.

"With the issuance of the First Flight stamp, we honor a moment in history that has taken us all beyond the horizon of our wildest dreams," he added.

"Showcasing aircraft ranging from a reproduction Wright 1909 Military Flyer to the latest in Air Force technology, the U.S. Air Force Museum offers an appropriate stage for issuing the First Flight stamp," said Major General (Ret.) Charles Metcalf, Director of the U.S. Air Force Museum. "The museum is proud to join with the U.S. Postal Service, the 'Inventing Flight' organization and the city of Dayton for this historic event."

Inventing Flight: Dayton 2003 was founded in 1989 to promote aviation, the Wright Brothers and especially Dayton, Ohio's role in the birth and future of aviation. Inventing Flight has partnered with some of the greatest names, faces and locations in aviation and aerospace to bring a truly special series of personalities, events and programs to Dayton in 2003. Inventing Flight: The Centennial Celebration will consist of three weeks of action-packed adventure, leading audiences through a world of discovery based on the powerful example provided by the achievement of manned, powered flight.

"Given that Kitty Hawk Postmaster Bill Tate served such an important role in convincing the Wright brothers to come to the Outer Banks a century ago, this year's First Flight stamp is a fitting tribute to the U.S. Postal Service's role in the first flight and a perfect addition to the First Flight Centennial," said Lawrence A. Belli, Superintendent, Outer Banks Group, National Park Service.

Intellectually curious and mechanically inclined, Wilbur Wright (1867-1912) and his brother Orville (1871-1948) owned a printing business and several bicycle shops in Dayton. In the late 1890s their interest turned to aviation, and from 1900 to 1902 they tested a series of gliders at Kill Devil Hills, a location near Kitty Hawk, N.C., that was chosen primarily for its steady winds. The Brothers continued their work at Huffman Prairie Flying Field near Dayton, improving the process of controlling flight while designing aircraft capable of mid-air turning.

In 1903 the Wright brothers built a new flyer, which they also tested at Kill Devil Hills. Equipped with a four-cylinder engine that delivered a little more than 12 horsepower, the flyer-with Orville at the controls-lifted into the air at about 10:35 a.m. on Dec. 17. Although the craft was only airborne for an estimated 12 seconds and traveled only 120 feet, the Wright brothers had achieved the first controlled, powered, sustained flight in a heavier-than-air flying machine. Three even more successful flights followed later that day, the remarkable prelude to a century that would see the world forever changed by air travel.

Eighty-five million self-adhesive First Flight stamps will be printed and made available in a souvenir sheet of 10 stamps of one design. The stamp illustration by McRay Magleby of Provo, Utah, depicts Orville Wright at the controls of the 1903 Wright flyer. Text at the bottom of the design reads: "First Flight ? Wright Brothers ? 1903." The front of the souvenir sheet features a detail of a photograph of Orville and Wilbur Wright taken in Pau, France, in 1909.

In addition to the souvenir sheet of 10 stamps, the following philatelic products will be available at Postal Stores and by toll-free phone order at 1 800 STAMP-24: Cancellation Keepsake including a First Day Cover and pane of the First Flight stamps ($5.20); First Day Cover ($0.75); Commemorative Panel ($8.75); and Matted Print Keepsake ($27.95).

To see the First Flight stamp, locate the online version of this press release at http://www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/welcome.htm. Current U.S. stamps and philatelic products, as well as the free USA Philatelic catalog, are available by calling toll free 1 800 STAMP-24. A selection of U.S. stamps and gift items are also available online at the Postal Store at http://www.usps.com/shop. Images of many current, past and future stamp issues can be found in the Stamp Issues section of the Collector's Corner.

Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 140 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $67 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 43 percent of the world's mail volume-some 203 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves seven million customers each day at its 38,000 retail locations nationwide.

HOW TO ORDER THE FIRST DAY OF ISSUE POSTMARK

Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamps at their local post office, affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FIRST FLIGHT COMMEMORATIVE STAMP,
POSTMASTER, 302 S CROATAN HIGHWAY,
KILL DEVIL HILLS NC 27948-9991

(or)

FIRST FLIGHT COMMEMORATIVE STAMP,
POSTMASTER,
PO BOX 2308,
DAYTON OH 45401-2308

After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by June 22, 2003.

Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first day covers for new stamp issues and postal stationery items postmarked with the official first day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by writing to:

INFORMATION FULFILLMENT, DEPT 6270,
US POSTAL SERVICE,
PO BOX 219014,
KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014

or by calling 1 800 STAMP-24. First day covers remain on sale for at least one year after the stamp's issuance.

Contact:

Media Relations
202-268-2155
Stamp Release No. 019
http://www.usps.com