Congressional Record, Volume 149 Issue 83 (Monday, June 9, 2003)

[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 83 (Monday, June 9, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H5050-H5052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[Congressional Record: June 9, 2003 (House)]
[Page H5050-H5052]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr09jn03-51]

HONORING DAYTON, OHIO, AND ITS MANY PARTNERS FOR HOSTING ``INVENTING
FLIGHT: THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION''

Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 162) honoring the City
of Dayton, Ohio, and its many partners, for hosting ``Inventing Flight:
The Centennial Celebration'', a celebration of the centennial of Wilbur
and Orville Wright's first flight.
The Clerk read as follows:

H. Con. Res. 162

Whereas 2003 marks the centennial of Wilbur and Orville
Wright's achievement of the first controlled, powered flight
in history;
Whereas Wilbur and Orville Wright grew up and worked at a
bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, where they developed, built,
and refined the first successful, heavier-than-air, manned,
powered aircraft;
Whereas the Wright brothers developed the world's first
flying field, the world's first flying school, and the
world's first airplane manufacturing company in the Dayton,
Ohio area;
Whereas many legacies of the Wrights' inventiveness and
creativity still exists in the region, including Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, the Dayton Aviation Heritage
National Historical Park, the United States Air Force Museum,
the National Aviation Hall of Fame, the Wright ``B'' Flyers,
the Engineers Club of Dayton, among many others;
Whereas the city of Dayton, area communities, a number of
civic groups, private businesses, government agencies, and
military partners, are joining together to honor the Nation's
aerospace achievements;
Whereas Dayton is considered the ``Birthplace of Aviation''
and the region will host ``Inventing Flight: The Centennial
Celebration'', from July 3 through July 20, 2003, which will
be the largest public centennial event in Ohio celebrating
the first flight and one of only 4 events nationwide endorsed
as a full partner by the United States Centennial of Flight
Commission; and
Whereas the celebration will feature pavilions housing
aviation displays, blimp and hot-air balloon races, dance and
cultural performances, river shows, historical reenactments,
an international air and space symposium, National Aviation
Hall of Fame ceremonies, and a military and general aviation
show at the Dayton International Airport: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress honors the city of Dayton, Ohio,
and its many partners, for hosting ``Inventing Flight: The
Centennial Celebration'', a celebration of the centennial of
Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Turner) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).

General Leave

Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on H. Con. Res. 162.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 162 honors the City of
Dayton, Ohio, and its many partners for hosting Inventing Flight: The
Centennial Celebration, a celebration of the centennial of Wilbur and
Orville Wright's first flight.
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to speak on behalf of Concurrent
Resolution 162 as an original cosponsor, along with every member in the
Ohio delegation, in honoring the City of Dayton, Ohio, as they begin to
celebrate 2003, Inventing Flight: The Centennial Celebration.
On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright launched man's first-
ever sustained and controlled flight in a heavier-than-air engine-
powered aircraft at Kill Devil Hill, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
Although the first flight lasted only 12 seconds and covered
approximately 120 feet, this achievement changed the world forever.
The Wright Brothers had been fascinated by flight from an early age.
The vision they shared of sweeping across the sky without boundaries,
limits or rules, led to countless hours of imagination, experiments,
and pure hard work. Their lives centered around the possibility of
flight.
Together they opened a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, in 1892. Upon
seeing the countless bicycle shops already in existence during the
newly industrialized America, they began to believe in the ability of
flight.
The lonely hours and late nights spent at drafting tables and
workshops in Dayton fueled the brothers' obsession with making their
dream a reality. With every failed trial came a new way of thinking.
With every small success, they were a step closer to their vision.
In 1899, they began building kites and gliders to test the theories
that had been so diligently part of their work. Eventually, they met
with success and began building their own plane. They built their first
plane in Dayton, Ohio, and took it to Kitty Hawk to fly it in the
coastal winds of North Carolina.

{time} 1415

Remarkably, a mere 11 years after the Wright Brothers opened their
bicycle shop in Dayton, the first successful flight was completed.
After watching the brothers in flight, an Ohio merchant remarked,
``Imagine a locomotive that has left its track and is climbing up in
the air without any wheels, but with white wings instead, and you have
something like what I saw.''
In a telegram sent by the Wright Brothers from Kitty Hawk, North
Carolina to their father, Reverend Milton Wright, on December 17, 1903,
they said, ``Success. Four flights Thursday morning. All against 21-
mile wind. Started from level with engine power alone. Average speed
through air, 31 miles. Longest, 59 seconds. Inform press. Home
Christmas.''
Success, their achievement, changed our world, making it smaller and
bringing us all closer together. The super highways of the sky have
united families, cultures, and encouraged the spread of ideas across
the world. The achievement of flight, through the determination and
innovation of the Wright Brothers, changed the world forever on a
winter day in 1903.
Upon achieving their first flight, the Wright Brothers returned to
Dayton, Ohio where they continued to study aerodynamics and perfected
flight. The location where they learned to sustain flight and, most
importantly, to turn the aircraft is today the location of Wright
Patterson Air Force Base where the Air Force continues to perfect
flight and advance our advantage in aerodynamics and composite
structures for airplanes.
In his youth, Wilbur Wright was afflicted with the belief that flight
is possible. Together the brothers were

[[Page H5051]]

crazy enough to believe that they, two men from Ohio, the heartland of
America, could change the world with the achievement of flight. It is
our great good fortune in their youth their hearts were touched with
fire.
Leonardo DaVinci envisioned a flying machine that would be carried
upward and freely roam the skies in search of adventure, new places,
and far-away cultures. The Wright Brothers applied their knowledge of
mechanics and motion to achieve their collective dream. Today, flight
remains as magical and awe-inspiring as it did when DaVinci dreamed of
flying and the Wright Brothers first took to the skies.
In honor of the Wright Brothers' flight, Dayton, Ohio invites the
Nation to a celebration of the first century of powered flight with the
Inventing Flight Celebration, a 17-day event starting on July 3 and
ending on July 20 with the Dayton Air Show. Some of the groups
performing include the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, the U.S. Air Force
Thunderbirds, and the Canadian Forces Snow Birds. This once-in-a-
lifetime show will be of Olympic proportions, complete with fireworks,
blimp races, acrobatic air maneuvers, special guest speakers,
children's centers, and orbit zones. Attendees can enjoy the Wright
Brothers National Park, which includes the original and first airplane
of the Wright Brothers that was capable of sustaining flight; the
United States Air Force Museum, which hosts over 1 million visitors a
year; and the National Aviation Hall of Fame, which chronicles the
accomplishments of our aviation history.
In closing, let me thank the members of the Ohio congressional
delegation for joining me in sponsoring this legislation. I also want
to thank the people of Dayton, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and the
surrounding communities for their enthusiastic support of the Inventing
Flight Centennial celebration. I would also invite all Members of
Congress and their families and their staffs to come to Dayton, Ohio
with us to celebrate one of the world's most remarkable achievements:
flight. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to commend the gentleman from Ohio for introducing this
resolution commemorating the work of Wilbur and Orville Wright, who
manned the first successful, controlled, and sustained power flight,
and to signal that at this time we are going to celebrate, with a
Festival of Flight in Dayton, Ohio, their accomplishments. It is
fitting on the day that we commemorate Walt Disney for his flight of
fancy that we also have the Festival of Flight for the Wright Brothers
as part of the agenda on the schedule for today, as our rhetoric soars
as well and flies ever higher in salute of great Americans.
In October of 1998, this body passed a bill to establish the
commemoration of the centennial of powered flight and the achievements
of the Wright Brothers. The commemoration activities set forth in that
bill will come to fruition this year with the Festival of Flight. The
festival will consist of four events that will be held nationwide to
celebrate the first flight of the Wright Brothers.
The Wright Brothers originally had a bicycle store in Dayton, Ohio.
They later moved to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for the hills, strong
and steady winds, and the soft, sandy ground, all ingredients for
successful flight. They went back to Dayton and built a 6-foot wind
tunnel to conduct experiments with over 200 different wing models. They
developed the first reliable tables on the effects of air pressure on
curved surfaces, the principles that we use today and that we see on
every airplane. In 1903, the Wright Brothers completed the construction
of a larger plane, powered by their own lightweight gas-powered engine,
and returned to Kitty Hawk on December 17, 1903. Four men and a boy
witnessed the first flight, a flight which dramatically changed the
course of transportation, commerce, communication, and warfare
throughout the world.
I hope that the Festival of Flight will educate Americans to the
achievement of the Wright Brothers and their contributions to the
development of this Nation. I want to join my colleague in urging all
of the Members to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished
ranking member of the Committee on Government Reform for being here for
the consideration of this legislation, and I again invite everyone to
come to the Wright Dunbar National Park, the United States Air Force
Museum, and the National Aviation Hall of Fame as part of the
celebration in Dayton.
I have no other speakers. Again, I urge all of the Members to support
the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 162.
Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to
honor the city of Dayton, Ohio, and its many partners, for hosting
``Investing Flight: The Centennial Celebration,'' commemorating the
100th Anniversary of Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight.
It is with great excitement that the U.S. House of Representatives is
considering this resolution. It is rare that the United States, or the
entire world for that matter, can come together in celebration of one
truly historic and life changing event. This event occurred 100 years
ago on December 17th, and lasted for an unprecedented 12 seconds.
During those 12 seconds, Wilbur Wright sustained the first controlled,
powered flight in history.
Events are already in full swing for the Centennial of Flight. The
new Huffman Prairie Interpretive Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base is now open to visitors, the flying replica of the Wright Brothers
original aircraft is making its first flights, and with the support of
Congress, the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park is ready
to receive thousands of enthusiastic visitors.
The year promises to hold many special events that will bring
national attention and provide a fitting tribute to the aviation
pioneers of Ohio. North Carolina can claim the location of the first
flight by the Wright Brothers, but it is their hometown that saw the
laborious construction and endless testing that are required to allow
it to take to the sky.
Best of all will be the main event. I encourage all of you to mark
your calendars for July 3 as we begin the festivities to celebrate this
great achievement in human history. The entire event will last from
July 3 to July 20, 2003, and will be the largest public centennial
event in Ohio celebrating the first flight. Additionally, it will be
one of only 4 events nationwide endorsed as a full partner by the
United States Centennial of Flight Commission.
From the Wright Brothers to today's cutting edge aerospace research
at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton has a rich aviation
tradition that will be evident to all of this year's activities and
commemorative events. One cannot help but ponder what the next 100
years will hold for flight, but I am certain that Ohio will continue to
play a major role in our ongoing quest to push the limits of air and
space flight.
As an Ohioan, I am proud to reside in the same state as the two
brothers whose invention changed the world.
Mr. Speaker, I join today with my colleagues, aviation enthusiasts,
and people across the country in support of this resolution.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, in October 1998, this body passed
a bill to establish a commemoration of the centennial of powered flight
and the achievements of the Wright brothers.
The commemoration activities set forth in that bill will come to
fruition this year with the Festival of Flight. The Festival of Flight
will consist of four events that will be held nationwide to celebrate
Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight.
Wilbur and Orville Wright manned the first successful controlled and
sustained powered flight. The Wright brothers, originally bicycle store
owners from Dayton, Ohio, moved to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for the
hills, strong and steady winds, and the soft-sanded ground--ingredients
for successful flight.
They went back to Dayton and build a six-foot wind tunnel to conduct
experiments with over 200 different wing models. They developed the
first reliable tables on the effects of air pressure on curved
surfaces, the principles that we use today and that you see on every
airplane.
In 1903, the Wright brothers completed the construction of a larger
plan powered by their own lightweight gas-powered engine and returned
to Kitty Hawk. On December 17, 1903, four men and a boy witnessed the
first flight--a flight which dramatically changed the course of
transportation, commerce, communication, and warfare throughout the
world.
I hope that the Festival of Flight will educate Americans to the
achievements of the Wright brothers and their contributions to the
development of this nation.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

[[Page H5052]]

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con.
Res. 162, honoring the City of Dayton, Ohio for its Inventing Flight
celebration commemorating the 100th anniversary of powered flight.
In addition to commending Dayton's efforts this year, efforts which
actually began back in 1989, we would be remiss if we neglected to pay
tribute to the dedication Dayton, the Miami Valley community, and the
military and civilian personnel at Wright Patterson Air Force Base have
shown in both preserving Wilbur and Orville Wright's legacy and
advancing the dream of human flight.
One hundred years ago, the Wright Brothers made Ohio the ``Birthplace
of Aviation.'' It was in their bicycle shop in Dayton, now part of the
Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, that the Wright Brothers
researched and designed the first successful, heavier-than-air, manned,
powered aircraft. It was there in Dayton, on the Huffman Flying
Prairie, where the brothers learned to fly--where they learned to
control and maneuver their aircraft.
Today, the tradition of the Wright Brothers lives on in the Dayton
community. Engineers, scientists, and inventors continue to research,
develop, and test the latest advances in airpower at the Wright
Patterson Air Force laboratories. At the Air Force Institute of
Technology, they learn the technical skills to build the aircraft of
the future. At the United States Air Force Museum, three hangars attest
to the commitment the community has to preserve the history of the Air
Force and its contributions to the advancement of powered flight.
July 3, 2003 marks the beginning of the month-long Inventing Flight
activities, transforming Dayton into an international hub of aviation
entertainment. The Centennial Celebration, the largest public
centennial event in Ohio celebrating the first powered flight, is one
of only four nationwide events endorsed as a full partner by the United
States Centennial of Flight Commission. The Centennial Celebration
includes the Dayton Air Show at the Dayton International Airport. This
year's show will include an unprecedented joint appearance by all three
North American jet demonstration teams: the Air Force Thunderbirds, the
Navy Blue Angels, and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.
I am proud to represent communities working so tirelessly to preserve
and promote powered fight, a community where the Wright Brothers lived,
dreamed, invented, and perfected man's first powered aircraft. In
Dayton, the legacy of aviation is celebrated for its critical
contributions to the economy, to business and personal travel, and to
our military. I salute Dayton' legacy and extend an invitation to
everyone throughout our country to visit this city and all of the
Southwest Ohio and to join the celebration where Imagination Takes
Flight.
Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of H. Con. Res.
162, a resolution honoring the City of Dayton, Ohio for its celebration
of Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight in 1902. This important
resolution is supported by the entire Ohio delegation.
From military aircraft to NASA shuttles, these brothers are
responsible for the foundation of the modern aviation industry and they
deserve our gratitude. In their hometown of Dayton, the brothers worked
in a bicycle shop, which would become their aviation laboratory.
Although they were not the first to conceive a fixed-wing aircraft,
their tinkering eventually led them to design the first craft that
could be controlled. Aircraft, robots and even submarines rely upon the
principles the brothers developed to control yaw, pitch and roll. Their
innovations have allowed our world to become connected by rapid air
travel.
Today, the City of Dayton, and the State of Ohio, remain an important
aviation center, with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and NASA
facilities Glenn and Plum Brook Station near my district.
I want to thank my colleague for introducing this important
resolution and the City of Dayton.
MR. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) that the House suspend
the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 162.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.

____________________