[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9686 of December 15, 2017

Wright Brothers Day, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On December 17, 1903, a handcrafted biplane lifted off the soft sand of
a windswept beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, ushering in the age of
aviation. The flight lasted a mere 12 seconds, and covered only 120
feet, but it changed the course of history. On Wright Brothers Day, we
honor the two American pioneers from Dayton, Ohio, who first achieved
powered flight, one of the most remarkable triumphs of the 20th century.
Orville and Wilbur Wright shared a fascination with flight and a desire
to push the limits of the possible. They were bicycle mechanics by
trade, and though they lacked formal education and resources, they
excelled in aviation through determination and tenacity. They built
their own research facilities, learned and tested principles of
engineering and aerodynamics, and endured years of failure as they
improved on their designs.
Aviation has transformed modern life. The Golden Age of Flight during
the 1920s and 1930s captured the imagination of the American people, and
soon opened commercial opportunities for transport and trade. Two world
wars led to the development of the modern U.S. Air Force, strengthening
our national security and enabling us to command the battlefield and
protect our homeland from the sky. Aviation has also connected far-away
nations, changing the way we conduct business, spend our leisure time,
and spread new ideas. In only 60 years' time, aviation expanded from the
familiar to a new unknown--from speeding us through the clouds to
launching us into space.
The same spirit that fueled Orville and Wilbur Wright ignited a passion
in other aviation visionaries. In July 1969, American pioneers, Neil
Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, completed the first manned
mission to the Moon on Apollo 11. To acknowledge aviation's humble
beginnings, their spacecraft left Earth's orbit with pieces of

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wood and a swath of muslin from the left wing of the biplane that made
history at Kitty Hawk. The innovative spirit of the Wright brothers also
inspired the legendary Joe Sutter who, in just over 2 years, designed
and built the iconic 747 jetliner. This glamorous jumbo plane, and the
first ever wide-body aircraft, transformed travel through the sky. It
has been the aircraft of five United States presidents and was the basis
for Sutter receiving the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy in 1986.
More than a century after conquering flight, the Wright brothers
continue to motivate and inspire Americans, who never tire of
exploration and innovation. 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.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December 17, 1963, as
amended (77 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 143), has designated December 17 of
each year as ``Wright Brothers Day'' and has authorized and requested
the President to issue annually a proclamation inviting the people of
the United States to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and
activities.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 2017, as Wright Brothers Day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of
December, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
second.
DONALD J. TRUMP