THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 25, 1996 TAG: 9607250359
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 55 lines
Organizers in North Carolina and Ohio have met in Washington to create a federal commission to coordinate national and international centennial celebrations of the Wright Brothers' first flight.
``What we're trying to do is to push legislation for the formation of a national commission for the First Flight Centennial in 2003,'' Alton V. Jones of Nags Head, a member of North Carolina's First Flight Centennial Commission, said Wednesday. ``We feel we need to make sure that the centennial of flight and the Wright brothers' achievements get the scope nationally and internationally that they deserve.''
A federal panel would have to be established by Congress, Jones said, and it would enhance centennial celebration plans in the two states. Representatives of both states met at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington on Tuesday.
Jones downplayed reported disputes between the two state commissions over the real birthplace of flight.
``We're in complete agreement on this issue,'' Jones said of the proposed federal panel. ``We will need the assistance of federal agencies, such as the National Archives, the Library of Congress, the Department of Defense and other agencies in making this an international celebration.''
Melvin Daniels of Wanchese, chairman of the North Carolina group, agreed.
``I don't think there's any rift between us,'' Daniels said. ``We certainly are aware that the Wright brothers are from Ohio, and that they did much of their work there before coming to North Carolina. But as I told `Wick' Wright (grand-nephew of the aviation pioneers), on Dec. 17, 1903, the first flight occurred in Kitty Hawk. They have their story to tell, and we have ours. Both need to be told.''
Daniels said the celebration should have an international flair.
``There was much work done in Britain and France, and other countries around the world,'' he said. ``The establishment of a federal commission will help us in those areas.''
Legislation establishing a federal panel is not likely to be adopted this year, Jones said.
``We probably won't have any legislation in place until next year,'' Jones said. ``We will continue to sit down with the group from Ohio to outline what we want in the bill. Then it will have to be introduced and a committee will have to work out the language of the bill.''
Closer to home, the North Carolina panel is optimistic that the General Assembly will approve funding for the First Flight Centennial Commission for another year. Lawmakers are in Raleigh trying to hammer out a budget compromise. In the 1995-96 budget, the commission received $100,000.
``We're working very hard for that right now,'' Daniels said. ``We're confident that we will receive funding.''
North Carolina's First Flight Centennial Commission will meet in September at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro.
The Air Force will play a key role in this year's First Flight Celebration. On Dec. 16, a B-2 bomber will be commissioned ``The Spirit of Kitty Hawk.'' by CNB