Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Today is National Aviation Day!

Did you know that there is a National Aviation Day? Yes, National Aviation Day on August 19 of every year is a United States national observation that celebrates the development of human flight. The holiday was established by a presidential proclamation in 1939, which designated the anniversary of Orville Wright's birthday to be National Aviation Day.


Ok, so what does this mean? Should I run out and buy a card at Hallmark? Who do I send it to? Orville isn't receiving mail anymore....

Well, on the big scale, according to the United States Code, TITLE 36, Subtitle I, Part A, CHAPTER 1, § 118:
The President may issue each year a proclamation
(1) designating August 19 as National Aviation Day;
(2) calling on United States Government officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on National Aviation Day; and
(3) inviting the people of the United States to observe National Aviation Day with appropriate exercises to further stimulate interest in aviation in the United States.


So, 1 has already been done. Check. 2, if you don't have a government building, is kind of hard. But 3. you could do things to celebrate National Aviation Day. For example, you could go build your own Wright Flyer. Before breakfast. Blindfolded. No?

How about:
Sporting your own Girls With Wings License Plate Frame? This picture is courtesy of Dan Kiser, Founder of Youth Aviation Adventure and an all around great supporter of Girls With Wings.


Don't have a car? That's ok, here's some alternate instructions from ehow.com.

Step1

Visit The Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, to see where the brothers got the first plane to work in 1903. The park has exhibits and reproductions of the 1902 glider and 1903 plane. Call (252) 441-7430 for more information on hours and events.

Step2

Go to Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in Dayton, Ohio, which hosts the Wright brothers' third airplane, as well as a restored print shop of the brothers. It holds free outdoor events for the whole family.


Step3

Read to a child. Teach your child the history of flight and the importance of the Wright brothers. Try Jane Yolen's "My Brothers' Flying Machine," or "First Flight" by George Shea.


Step4

Make crafts with family or at school. Draw images you might see out of the window of an airplane, make paper airplanes, or create collages of aviation images from magazines.


Step5

Celebrate National Aviation Day at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force--the biggest and oldest military aviation museum. It is located in Springhill Pike, Ohio, and carries a large collection of aircraft exhibits.



From HolidaySpotPlus.com
WEBSITES AND ARTICLES ABOUT NATIONAL AVIATION DAY

National Aviation Hall of Fame (official): Information, history and facts about aviation.
National Aviation Day (Rumela's Web): History and Information on the holiday.
Wright Brothers National Memorial (Nat'l Park Service): Information and schedule events on the birthplace of aviation.
Aviation History Online Museum (official): Information, pictures and history of Aviation.
The History of Aviation and Modern Rocketry (TheSpacePlace): History of aviation through modern space flight.
History of Flight (AIAA): Information and history of flight from throughout the world.
This is not a traditional gift giving holiday. However, this day could be remembered though giving gifts with an aviation theme - airplanes, helicopters, balloons, gliders, spaceships or birds in flight.


GIFT IDEAS FOR NATIONAL AVIATION DAY

National Aviation Day Gift Ideas:
Airplane tickets to anywhere - just so you can fly
Local Hot Air Balloon or Helicopter trip
Model airplane or spaceship
Items emblazoned with things showing flight
Kites
Related Apparel
Training Books on How to Fly
Books & Magazines on Flying
Movies about flight

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