Bill Harris, president of the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s board, had told the Dayton Daily News last week that the offer from the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte to attract the annual enshrinement event in October included $100,000 cash and $50,000 in in-kind support services from US Airways, which operates a Charlotte flight hub as well as serving Dayton International Airport.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, who is working with Dayton community leaders to keep the black-tie enshrinement dinner in Dayton, sent a letter to US Airways on Sunday expressing concern that the airline would support efforts to move the event to Charlotte.
US Airways responded Monday with a letter to Turner saying that the airline “has committed nothing financially to the Aviation Hall of Fame effort. We have not, nor do we intend to.”
Shawn Dorsch, board chairman of the Carolinas Aviation Museum, said the Dayton Daily News’ Feb. 29 report of the terms of Charlotte’s offer were incorrect. Dorsch has declined to say what was incorrect about the report, or release any terms of Charlotte’s offer.
Phil Roberts, board chairman of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, said Tuesday that his organization signed a nondisclosure agreement with Charlotte and cannot make public the offer’s terms without approval from its Charlotte backers.
The nonprofit aviation hall was founded in 1962 in Dayton, as the historic home of aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright, to honor those who have contributed to aviation.
Amanda Wright Lane, great-grandniece of the Wright brothers, said Tuesday that she wants the enshrinement event to remain in Dayton.
“It was rooted here,” Lane said. “So much of the history that we honor in this ceremony is also rooted here.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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