A Rotorhead at Kitty Hawk

[MightyGem]

Hi everyone,

Well I said I was going, and now I'm here!! Just a quick note as I'm in the press tent awaiting a Q & A session from the likes of Chuck Yeager, Niel Armstrong and so on. Don't ask me for details, but we managed to get press passes for the whole period.

Yesterday, I stood at the point where the Wright brothers launched and walked down their flight path. As Chuck Yeager said this morning, "I was all Clanked up inside".

They've just called for the Wright family interviews, so I've got to go.

More when I get the chance.

:D :D :D :ok: :ok: :ok:

[Heliport]

Hope MightyGem comes home with a few pics. In the meantime ..........

http://www.killdevilhills.com/graphics/wmem00.jpghttp://www.killdevilhills.com/graphics/wmem02.jpg

[Bronx]

If you've never seen it, the Wright brothers account of the flight written at the time is a good read.


The Wright brothers' account, in their own words. (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=112390)

[Giovanni Cento Nove]

Maybe............

http://chrisbrady.itgo.com/pearse/pearse.htm

[MightyGem]

Hi guys. Sorry about the delay, but I couldn't get back on the
computers due to all the real reporters! Then we had a couple of
days touring and only got back home on the 23rd.

Well, what a time was had. I'll quickly run through the events day by
day.

Fri 12 Dec: Igniting the Imagination. To inspire the next generation
of Aviators by engaging children of all ages in the power of flight.

The opening day, various speeches and presentations. In 1992, the
EAA(Experimental Aviators Association - I think!) set a target to
introduce 1 million youngsters to the joys of flight. Chuck Yeager
flew past with the 1 millionth Young Eagle.

Lt Gail Halvorsen(USAF ret)flew by in a C 54 to recreate his Candy
Bomber runs of the Berlin Airlift

Sat 13 Dec: Remembering the Past, Imagine the Future. Celebrating
aviations impact over the last century.

More speeches etc. Various flybys, aerobatic displays by Patti
Wagstaff, Ian Groom, Micheal Mancuso and Bobby Younkin.

There was music everyday from the likes of the Beach Boys, the
Temptaions, Lee Greenwood and AAron Tippin.

Sun 14 Dec: We gave this a miss, due to the torrntial rain! So we
accompanied the wives on one of their shopping trips.

Mon 15 Dec: Protecting the Home of the Brave: Celebrating the impact
of aviation on the Military.

Lots of Military stuff, which was good. A speech by the Commander of
NORAD. Highlights of the flybys were the : B1, B2 F117 F/A22 and V22
Osprey. We attended the press briefing on the V22 program by the
Military project officer and chief test pilot and spoke with them
afterwards. We had a climb inside the Osprey(along with the rest of
the public) later. You should see the size of the MPD/MFD/EFIS
screens, nearly as big as my TV.

Tue 17 Dec: In History's Footsteps. Celebrating 100 aviation heroes.

As you would expect the list of 100 heroes were mainly American.
Well it was their show after all. It included all the founders of
the major companies: Walter Beech, Donald Douglas, William Boeing;
various early aeronautical engineers:Elmer and Lawrence Sperry and
pilots too numerous to mention. The three Britons that made the
list were Tommy Sopwith, Geoffrey de Haviland and Frank Whittle.

We attended various press briefings with the Wright family, where
Niel Armstrong gave back a small piece of the original Wright Flyer
that he'd taken to the moon. The chap I was with managed to shake
hands with Chuck Yeager. I don't think he's washed it yet. I was just
happy to be in the same room as one of my heroes! Also met Buzz
Aldrin and John Glenn.

Wed 17 Dec: 12 Seconds that Changed the World. Re-creating one of
the most important moments of the last century.

Well, not quite, as you probably all know. It absolutly threw it
down, which wasn't the main problem, but rather a lack of wind. The
Flyer needs a wind of between 10 - 20 knots to keep the groundspeed
down. The first attempt you probably saw on the TV. It may have left
the ground, or it may not! The second attempt turned into just an
engine run as the wind was not strong enough. So a bit of a
disappointing day, but we got to see President Bush!

All in all, we had a good trip. An excellent time to be at the place
where it all started, 100 years ago, very moving.

And to top it all off, we flew home on a 747, which is someting I've
always wanted to do. Well that's nothing special you migh say. Well
you might be right, but it is when you get upgraded to BUSINESS
class!!!! I've never had so much food before. And the wine. And the

[SASless]

Ah Heck....we do this for all our foreign friends.....drop by anytime!:ok:

[FloaterNorthWest]

Mighty,

All that food and wine is probably why i ended up covering your Xmas Day and Boxing Day shifts because you were ill!. My young kids send their regards.

[MightyGem]

Of course, I knew it was the Experimental AIRCRAFT Association all
the time. My brain was still befuddled with the jet lag and the bug
that I bought home with me.

Floater, you have my humble apologies. Believe me it was not an easy
call to make, but I couldn't have driven into work yesterday, let
alone fly.

[FloaterNorthWest]

Apology accepted.

[jayteeto]

I know..... It is very difficult to drive to work jetlagged and hungover.....

J for Joke!!!!

[MightyGem]

I'll get some photos posted as soon as they're back from the developers.

[MightyGem]

Photos for those interested are HERE (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.braine/kitty.html) They may take a while to load, and they are scanned, hence the quality.

They are:
The four stones marking the first four flights, with a rather damp MG at the fourth;
Getting the flyer ready for the second attempt at flight;
The new monument depicting the First Flight;
Buzz Aldrin Jeana Yeager and John Glenn;
V22 Osprey;
Chuck Yeager.

The full list of the 100 Heroes of Aviation is HERE (http://www.firstflightcentennial.org/100_Aviation_Heroes.html)

[Vfrpilotpb]

Mighty,

I am impressed beyond belief, what was Mrs Mighty doing all this time?

Mrs Vfr would be looking through glass at things only ladies would look at. Hope you had a good time, its inspiring to walk in historic footsteps, especially with the new science of Aviation!!

PeterR-B:ok:

[MightyGem]

Mrs Mighty was mostly doing shopping. We had to buy an extra suitcase for the journey home!