Introducing the 2025 First Flight Society Board of Directors
The First Flight Society announces its Board of Directors for 2025.
Paul Wright Jameson was elected as President, succeeding Mike Fonseca. Paul is a great great nephew of Wilbur and Orville Wright.
The rest of the Executive Committee was appointed as follows:
Vice President-K. Lynn Tadlock
Education Committee Chair-Judith Fearing
Event Committee Chair-Paul Carr
Finance Committee Chair-Erica Paynter
Governance Committee Chair-Mark Flynn
Marketing/Membership Chair-K. Lynn Tadlock
National Advisory Committee Chair-William Douglas
Immediate Past President-Mike Fonseca
The rest of the 2025 board consists of:
Sara Lou Copeland, M. Roy Daniels, III, Dr Charles Davidson, Orestes Gooden, Penny Leary-Smith and Mark Russell. Steve House, Paul O’Neal, and Debbie Ferrell Moore are new to the board this year. Steve is Vice Chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, Paul is Chairman of the Currituck County Board of Commissioners, and Debbie is former manager of Tanger Outlet Mall.
The Society thanks Danny Couch, Mike Smith and Will Nelson for their service as board members.
The Society plans an annual celebration at the Wright Brothers National Memorial on Wright Brothers Day, December 17th, to memorialize the achievements of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, NC. The Society also celebrates Wilbur Wright’s Birthday on April 16th and National Aviation Day on August 19th, which is also Orville Wright’s birthday.
The Society created the Paul E Garber Shrine in 1966 to honor individuals and groups for achieving significant “firsts” in aviation development,including Charles Lindbergh, Chuck Yeager, Mary Feik, John Glenn, Katherine Johnson (Hidden Figures) and most recently Charles McGee among others. The 2025 Inductee will be announced on April 16th.
Without the First Flight Society there would not be a Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. The Kill Devil Hills Memorial Association, later named First Flight Society, began as a group of local businessmen who successfully petitioned the US Congress to fund and build a monument to the Wright Brothers’ 1903 achievement. The Society celebrates its 98th year in 2025.
First Flight Society has the Vision that one day people everywhere will be inspired by the dauntless resolution and tireless work of the Wright Brothers. Their Mission is that we tell the story of the Wright Brothers through community events, education, and the commemoration of the world’s very first powered flight, in Kitty Hawk, NC
More information about the First Flight Society can be found at https://firstflight.org or https://wrightbrothersday.org.
Win a Unique VIP Military Aviation Museum Experience!
ENTER TODAY for your chance to win this unique VIP Tour, Dinner and Stearman Ride at the Military Aviation Museum PLUS $1,000!
WIN a UNIQUE Personal Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the facilities with the Museum Director, a FLIGHT for one of you in their Original, 1941 Stearman PT-17 Trainer that has been restored to flight! Enjoy a PRIVATE VIP dinner on the campus for FOUR, and $1,000 for your visit expenses!
The Military Aviation Museum (MAM) in Virginia Beach, VA has one of the largest collections of historic military aircraft in the world. It is also the largest flying collection on display in an individual location. To experience these airplanes just as they were 80 years ago means the Military Aviation Museum is the best place in the world to visit them. Anyone can pay the entrance fee and tour the Museum, but no one can purchase the exclusive “behind the scenes” tour and dinner being offered by this Sweepstakes.
Taken together with their private grass strip, their airplanes and facilities have created a small piece of Virginia where more than 85,000 people per year come to find aviation history living and breathing around them, offering an experience that is altogether unique, where people can experience the stories of what is sometimes called the Greatest Generation, so that you can understand how adversity was overcome through courage, sacrifice, determination, optimism, and teamwork.
Prize Details
Win the opportunity to have a unique personal behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities with the Museum Director, a flight for one of you in their Original, 1941 Stearman PT-17 Trainer that has been restored to flight! Fly for 30 minutes over the Virginia Beach area, and then enjoy a private VIP dinner on the campus for four, and $1,000 for your visit expenses! Unique because this is an experience not offered by the Military Aviation Museum to others, and when coordinating your visit with them it may allow you to see some of the many of their warbirds flying as well! We are proud to offer this opportunity in conjunction with the teaming between the First Flight Society and the MAM! Your experience can be taken on a date mutually agreeable to you and MAM (other than it cannot be redeemed on an MAM event weekend) within 12 months of winning.
Requirements for PT-17 Passenger
Rider or their Guardian will be required to complete a Flight Passenger Assumption of Risk, Waiver of Liability, and Release of All Claims prior to boarding the aircraft.
MAM reserves the right to refuse the flight due to limitations that would adversely impact your safety, the flight, or the crew, such as height and weight, physical or mental impairments, health complications, or any other issues that the management or pilot deems a risk.
The weight limit is 300 lbs. for passengers on a flight. Additionally, every passenger must be able to enter and exit the aircraft under their own power and without external medical devices (i.e. oxygen tanks etc.). The seatbelt and shoulder straps must also fit correctly, and secure the rider.
In the interest of safety, the staff or pilot may make the decision that it is unsafe to fly a passenger.
MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUM
1341 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA
+1 757-721-7767
First Flight Society and Wright Brothers National Memorial Celebrate National Aviation Day Together on August 19th.
The First Flight Society announced a joint celebration of National Aviation Day with Wright Brothers National Memorial. This year is the 85thanniversary of National Aviation Day. The mornings activities will take place at Dare County Regional airport with afternoon and evening activities at the WBNM park. The day will be capped off with a free outdoor movie. Admission is free at the airport and the park that day. The event will run from 10:00AM until 10:00 PM and is aimed at all ages. The mission of the celebration is to provide a fun and educational experience promoting, honoring, and celebrating the accomplishments of the Wright Brothers and helping educate the world about aviation.
The morning activities will consist of Airplane Displays, Exhibitors, and Food Trucks. The afternoon’s highlights will include guest speakers as well as Ranger talks inside the Visitor Center and around the park. The evening’s outdoor movie will start around 8:00 PM. Bring your own blankets and chairs to watch the movie under the stars.
NAD is also Orville and Katharine Wright’s birthday. Former president Franklin D. Roosevelt was the creator of National Aviation Day, deciding for the first time in 1939 that the nation should celebrate the growth and advancements being made in aviation. Mr. Wright, born in 1871, was still alive when the proclamation was first issued. Katharine Wright, sister of Orville and Wilbur was also born on August 19th, but in 1874.
Dare County Regional airport (MQI) is located at 410 Airport Road, Manteo, NC 27954.
Wright Brothers National Memorial is located at 1000 North Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948.
Additional information can be found atwww.nationalaviationday.org.
March Membership Drive
*2024 Membership Drive!*
How would you like to win a 120th Anniversary Silver Coin?
Starting immediately and ending April 6th, the member gaining the most new membership points receives a 120th Anniversary Silver Coin and the runner-up receives the Brass proof version.
The winner wil be recognized at the April 13th Wilbur Wright Day Luncheon.
Scoring will be:
- 1 point for a new or renewed one-year member
- 3 points for a 3-year member
- 10 points for a 3-year Life member
- 30 points for full Life member
Points will be registered by Admin based on the member’s referral included with the new member or made by the FFS member.
Introducing The 2024 First Flight Society Board
The First Flight Society announces its Board of Directors for 2024. Most of the directors are from North Carolina.
The newly elected Executive Committee consists of:
President-Mike Fonseca
Vice President-Paul Wright Jameson
Finance Committee Chair- Erica Paynter
Marketing/Membership Committee Chair-William “Bill” Douglas
Education Committee Chair-Judith Fearing
The rest of the 2024 board consists of:
Paul Carr, Sara Lou Copeland, Danny Couch, M. Roy Daniels, III, Dr Charles Davidson, Mark Flynn, Orestes Gooden, Penny Leary Smith, William Nelson, Mike Smith, K Lynn Tadlock. Erica Paynter is new to the board this year.
The FFS plans an annual celebration at the Wright Brothers National Memorial on Wright Brothers Day, December 17th to memorialize the work of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, NC. First Flight Society also celebrates Wilbur Wright Day on April 16th and National Aviation Day on August 19th which is also Orville Wright’s birthday. December 17, 2024 is the 121st anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight.
They created the Paul E Garber Shrine in 1966 to honor individuals and groups for achieving significant “firsts” in aviation development since 1903: Charles Lindbergh, General Chuck Yeager, Mary Feik, John Glenn, Katherine Johnson (Hidden Figures) and most recently Walter & Olive Ann Beech among others. The 2024 Inductee will be announced on April 16th.
Without the First Flight Society there would not be a Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. The Kill Devil Hills Memorial Association, later named First Flight Society, began as a group of local businessmen who successfully petitioned the US Congress to fund and build a monument to the Wright Brothers’ 1903 achievement. The FFS celebrates its 97th year in 2024.
First Flight Society has the Vision that One day people everywhere will be inspired by the dauntless resolution and tireless work of the Wright Brothers. Their Mission is that We tell the story of the Wright Brothers through community events, education, and the commemoration of the world’s very first powered flight, in Kitty Hawk, NC
More information about the First Flight Society can be found at https://firstflight.org or https://wrightbrothersday.org.
Link to Press release:
Introducing the 2024 First Flight Society Board of Directors
National Aviation Day celebrated with historic planes, speakers, displays, food trucks and more
By Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy
Call For Nominations
Call for Nominations for the 2024 Paul E Garber First Flight Shrine.
Honorees for the Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine are selected annually by a National Advisory Committee from a list of nominees submitted to the First Flight Society and public that is passed to the Committee for consideration. The committee accepts a letter of nomination accompanied by supporting documentation.
The nominee(s) may but does not have to be a “first” but rather “…a person, living or dead, who since December 17, 1903, either personally or with the assistance of others, have made such outstanding accomplishments in support of flight operations that they are generally recognized nationally and internationally for their achievements and contributions to aerospace activities.”
Enclosed is the Nomination Form for the Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine, which should be mailed with any supporting documents to: First Flight Society, Post Office Box 1903, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949. Nominations may also be emailed to: admin@firstflight.org.
Nominations are due May 31st. Questions can be addressed to the NAC Chair, Charlie Davidson at NAC@firstflight.org
Please help us save postage expense by providing an email address we can use to communicate important and membership information to you.
Win a Stallion 51 WWII Flight Experience!
Enter today for your chance to experience a WWII Flight Experience in both a T-6 Texan trainer and P-51 Mustang Fighter!
This is your chance to experience flight in both the trainer and operational aircraft as some of our First Flight Society Honorees such as the “Red Tail” Tuskegee Airmen General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., USAF and Brig. Gen. Charles McGee, USAF, did as well as such other famous First Flight Society Honorees as Col. Jacqueline Cochran, USAF (Former WASP), Maj. Gen. Robert White, USAF, and Brig. Gen. Charles Yeager, USAF! The Stallion 51 Corporation offers a rare and exhilarating hands-on flight experience in both the T-6 Texan and P-51 Mustang. The winner can schedule the experience up to 12 months after winning and the prize award includes $800 towards your expenses to travel to the Orlando, Florida area for the experience.
Come Celebrate Wilbur Wright’s Birthday With Us at Hilton Garden Inn Kitty Hawk!
