The USU Wright Flyer Travels to Ogden and then to Dayton, Ohio
LOGAN -- After two years and over 10,000 hours of hard work from Utah State engineering and aviation technology students and faculty, the USU Wright Flyer has taken off.
The USU Wright Flyer, a futuristic replica of the Wright brothers' plane, will be flying for the last time in Utah before heading to the national flight celebration. The Flyer will be on display at the Ogden celebration, 100 Years of Flight, Saturday, June 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Ogden-Hickley Airport.
Wayne Larsen, a flight instructor and agricultural pilot from Box Elder County, will conduct low-level flights throughout the day.
At the air show the USU Wright Flyer team will present information on engineering, aviation and aerospace technology, the history of the Wright brothers and their accomplishments, and the history of aviation.
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of powered flight, Utah State University students and faculty, working with the Space Dynamics Laboratory, designed and constructed the futuristic replica of the USU Wright Flyer using space-age materials. The celebration of powered flight will give the residents of Utah an opportunity to reflect on the past and compare it to the future.
Kevlar and graphite replace the muslin and spruce used in the original flyer. These two composites are manufactured in Utah and used in the space shuttles, next-generation rockets and military aircraft.
The USU Wright Flyer project has been designated as an official part of the centennial events by the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. The flyer will travel to Dayton, Ohio, in July to the Inventing Flight celebration. On July 4, the USU Wright Flyer will take flight from Wright Patterson Air Force Base over historic Huffman Prairie, where the Wright brothers practiced their flights 100 years ago. The flyer will also participate in a parade on July 4 and then will be on static display at Huffman Prairie July 4 - 9. The flyer will then move to the Wright Memorial where it will reside as part of a static display July 10 - 16. At the Dayton Memorial Air show July 17 - 20 the USU Wright Flyer will be one of three featured aircrafts and will take to the skies daily during that event.
There will be an opportunity for the public to have their picture taken sitting in or standing beside the USU Wright Flyer in both the Ogden and Dayton, Ohio events. The 5-by-7 pictures will be $5 each.
To find out more about the USU Wright Flyer see the Web sites at www.usuwrightflyer.org and http://utahstatetoday.usu.edu/archives/march2003/03-14- 03/feature-03-14-03.cfm.
