Orville and Wilbur Wright invented, built, and flew the world's first powered airplane. The Wright Flyer, AKA The Kitty Hawk, had four successful flights on December 17, 1903. It was damaged on its final flight of the day and is now on display in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Could the Wright Brothers have imagined how far aviation and flight would come in 120 years?
In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt declared August 19 National Aviation Day in honor of Orville Wright's birthday. We have five fun ways to help you celebrate today — or any day you want to take to the skies!
1. Fly a kite.
Kites were invented thousands of years ago. Chinese legends and historical texts mention the use of kites for various purposes. Kites and kite-like devices were used in ancient Greece and Rome to measure distances or study the atmosphere.
Flying a kite can be a fun and symbolic way to celebrate National Aviation Day, especially if you're looking for an activity that involves the principles of flight and pays tribute to the history of aviation.
Instead of buying a kite, channel your inner Wright Brother and make your own. There's a good chance you already have all the supplies you need. Get our instructions here.
2. Expand your knowledge.
Plan a trip to one of the Wings Over the Rockies locations.
The Air & Space Museum is housed in Hangar 1 of the former Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. It features a variety of interactive exhibits covering aerospace history and has an extensive collection of military and civilian aircraft on display. They offer a variety of kid-friendly events, such as Family Discovery Workshops and Cockpit Demo Days.
Exploration of Flight is located at the Centennial Airport. Through Showcases of modern and vintage aircraft, in-person and simulated flights, it offers immersive and educational experiences for anyone fascinated by the world of aviation.
3. Grab a bite.
Turn your next dinner out into an adventure fit for any aviator!
The Perfect Landing Restaurant at the Centennial Airport provides diners the chance to watch small planes take off and land from a close vantage point. It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the runway is most active during the day, so breakfast or lunch is your best option.
The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs is a fully intact Boeing KC-97 tanker. The interior has been redesigned to be a fully operational restaurant with seating for up to 42 passengers. The decor includes hundreds of pictures, memorabilia, and rare artifacts. It opens daily at 11:00 AM.
4. Make paper airplanes.
Making and flying paper airplanes provides a hands-on learning experience perfect for all ages and skill levels.
You can even organize a paper airplane-making contest, where participants create different airplane designs to see whose airplane can travel the farthest, fly the highest, do the most tricks, or crash the fastest.
The PPO Channel on YouTube offers a variety of paper crafts, including several tutorials to make paper airplanes.
5. Have a family movie night.
We selected ten family-friendly movies centered around aviation, flying, and pilots that would be great for your next family movie night.
- Amelia (PG): A biographical drama about Amelia Earhart (played by Hilary Swank), the pioneering aviator who became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Fly Away Home (PG): Based on a true story, this heartwarming film tells the story of a young girl who raises a flock of geese and teaches them to migrate using an ultralight aircraft.
- The Great Waldo Pepper (PG): Set in the 1920s, this film tells the story of a World War I pilot (played by a young Robert Redford) who becomes a barnstormer, performing daredevil stunts in airshows.
- Planes (PG): This animated comedy adventure follows Dusty Crophopper, a crop-dusting plane with dreams of becoming a racing champion.
- Planes: Fire & Rescue (PG): The sequel to Planes continues Dusty's journey, this time as a firefighting aircraft.
- The Right Stuff (PG): The true story of the seven men — Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra, Gordon Cooper, and Deke Slayton — chosen for the Mercury Project manned space flight program.
- The Rocketeer (PG): A young pilot discovers a mysterious rocket pack and becomes a masked hero in this adventure film set in the 1930s.
- The Aviator (PG-13): A biographical drama about Howard Hughes (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), the eccentric and innovative aviation and film industry mogul.
- Top Gun (PG-13): Follow the journey of "Maverick," a skilled and daring naval aviator, as he competes and trains at the prestigious Top Gun fighter weapons school.
- Top Gun: Maverick (PG-13): In the sequel to Top Gun, Maverick is now a flight instructor mentoring a new generation of fighter pilots, including Rooster, the son of his late friend Goose.
