19 August is National Aviation Day Written 18 August 2014

Tuesday, August 19th, the anniversary of the birth of Orville Wright, is National Aviation Day. The day honors all who work in aviation and aerospace, and commemorates the sacrifices of the early aviation pioneers who first dared to prove that powered flight was possible.

“Aviation has transformed our world – from bringing people closer together, to speeding commerce, to ensuring a strong national defense, the aviation enterprise shapes all of our lives,” said AIAA President Jim Albaugh. “On this day, I hope all Americans take a minute to pause and reflect on how different our lives would be if Orville and Wilbur Wright and all of the other early pioneers of aviation had accepted the belief that humans could not fly. AIAA salutes those pioneers who went against convention, pursuing and achieving flight, as well as all who work today to ensure that aviation remains the powerful engine that moves our world.”

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt first proclaimed National Aviation Day in 1939.