December 17, 2020

Early bi-plane lifting off the sand
Orville Wright's first flight on December 17, 1903. Image has been colorized.

Historic image colorized for the National Park Service.

Every year, Wright Brothers National Memorial celebrates the anniversary of first flight on December 17th. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020's event was held virtually in partnership with the First Flight Society, Outer Banks Forever, the National Aviation Heritage Area, Dayton Aviation National Historical Park, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The theme of this year's event was the Ingenuity of Aviation, and aviation sites and experts from across the country contributed to the celebration. If you missed any of the virtual event, you can view the videos on this page.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Last updated: July 8, 2022

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Mailing Address:

Wright Brothers National Memorial
1401 National Park Drive

Manteo, NC 27954

Phone:

252 473-2111

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