National Aviation Day: Continuing the legacy of the Wright brothers Published Aug. 17, 2010 By Maj. Richard Apple 30th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt established Aug. 19 as National Aviation Day to commemorate the Wright Brothers' pioneering success and the birth of manned flight. President Roosevelt recognized how important flight was to America at the time and how critical a part it would play in the nation's future. Seventy-one years later, the significance of manned flight is not lost on any modern American or Airman. Flight has become an invaluable facet of both the civilian and military worlds, ranging from a commercial trip for vacation or business to military missions such as the Global Hawk or Predator performing reconnaissance. Here at Vandenberg, though we do not have the traditional flying mission, the importance of aviation should not be forgotten by any of us. Every day we are serving as a part of the world's greatest Air Force and should be proud of being a part of the distinguished history of flight. Things have drastically changed from the time the first plane took flight in Kitty Hawk in 1903, and from the first purchase of planes for military use in 1908. Back in those days, planes had wooden frames, canvas sides and engines weaker than a modern lawnmower. For the Army, initially, they were used for limited intelligence gathering but little else in those early years. Over the years, as new developments such as advanced engines and avionics were incorporated into metal-sided aircraft, they morphed into cutting-edge machines capable of a wide variety of missions. In 1908, they probably could not even envision a remote-controlled plane, but now unmanned aerial systems are an increasingly vital asset to air power. Not all of these advances happened overnight though; it took a lot of effort from brilliant people to get aviation to where it is now, and it all started with the Wright Brothers flipping a coin on Kill Devil Hill in North Carolina. There is a lot that an Airman can learn from aeronautic pioneers like Orville and Wilbur Wright. They triumphed over adversity in trying something that countless others before them had attempted. Neither of them started as the creators of airplanes; rather, they had their background in building and fixing bicycles. Furthermore, they did not even have high school diplomas. However, through their hard work, years of dedication, determination and ambition they accomplished one of the most significant technological feats of all time. As modern Airmen, we may never witness revolutionary innovations like the development of manned flight. However, every career field in the Air Force, from our Security Forces guarding the flight line, to the intelligence personnel providing valuable knowledge to flight and launch crews, make a difference and are critical to mission success. On this National Aviation Day, take a minute to think about how you as Airman are continuing the legacy started by the Wright brothers. In the 100 plus years of manned flight, Americans, especially the United States Air Force, have consistently been at the forefront of progress. You are creating a legacy of today's Air Force. Every one of us should take pride in the work that we do to contribute to the accomplishments of the Air Force today. They will resonate through the generations to come.