Pilots invited to fly in for Saturday's Wright Brothers Pilot Facility Grand Opening

The limited number of parking spots at First Flight Airfield have already been reserved this morning, but there is plenty of space at nearby Dare County Regional (MQI) Airport at Manteo, North Carolina. And the free shuttle buses will start running at 7 a.m. this Saturday morning to take pilots from MQI to the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hills for the grand opening of the new Pilot Facility.

The actual festivities will begin at 12:30, and all pilots are invited to fly in to see the new facility donated by AOPA on behalf of its members in honor of the centennial of powered flight, enjoy a free hot dog, take a look at the AOPA Centennial of Flight Sweepstakes Waco UPF-7 biplane, and have a chance to win a Centennial of Flight Sweepstakes leather bomber jacket.

"We want to share the excitement of the 100th Anniversary of Powered Flight," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Sponsorship of the permanent Pilot Facility is a very appropriate way for AOPA members to honor the Wright brothers' legacy and the generations of pilots who have followed them in flight. I hope pilots will fly in to join us."

The 900-square-foot Pilot Facility will house a state-of-the-art flight planning center, including a computerized Meteorlogix MxVision AviationSentry weather briefing system and a second computer equipped with Jeppesen FliteStar route planning software and access to AOPA Online.

It was built in conjunction with the National Park Service and the First Flight Centennial Foundation and will be the only permanent structure left standing after the Centennial celebrations in December.

03-2-086x