President Trump declares today ‘Wright Brothers Day’

It may not have the cachet of Christmas, but this Sunday is also a holiday.

It marks the 114th anniversary of the first airplane flight that Dayton brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright made along a windswept beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. In honor of the twelve second flight that ushered in the age of aviation, December 17 has been officially designated “Wright Brothers Day” for more than 50 years.

President Donald Trump issued an official proclamation on Friday to mark this year’s holiday by honoring “the two American pioneers from Dayton, Ohio, who first achieved powered flight, one of the most remarkable triumphs of the 20th century.”

“More than a century after conquering flight, the Wright brothers continue to motivate and inspire Americans, who never tire of exploration and innovation,” it said. “This great American spirit can be found in the design of every new supersonic jet and next-generation unmanned aircraft. Their revolutionary legacy lives on in each airplane take-off and spacecraft launch. On Wright Brothers Day, we celebrate their extraordinary contribution to the strength and success of our Nation.”

- Story by Sabrina Eaton, Advance Ohio Media

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