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Anne
11-03-2003, 11:32 AM
Ken Smith Delivers Alaska State Flag To Wright Brothers Memorial

Ken Smith, an EAA member pilot from Anchorage, Alaska officially represented the state in EAA?s ?50 Flags to Kitty Hawk? program Friday, May 30, when he landed at the Wright Brothers National Memorial and presented the state flag to National Park Association officials.

Smith is one of 50 EAA-member pilots chosen?one from each state?to participate in the ?50 Flags to Kitty Hawk? program, a year-long effort that is part of EAA?s ?Countdown to Kitty Hawk? initiative, presented by Ford Motor Company, celebrating the achievements of the Wright brothers and the 100th anniversary of powered flight in 2003.

Ken , who arrived with his wife, Diane, was the seventh EAA-member pilot to complete the journey to Kitty Hawk, where he also presented National Park Service officials with a signed proclamation from Governor Frank Murkowski, declaring May 30, 2003 as ?50 Flags to Kitty Hawk Day? throughout the state. Following the presentation, the Alaska flag was raised at the Wright Brothers National Memorial site, where it flew for the entire day.

?What an honor to be able to fly the Alaska flag to Kill Devil Hills where powered aviation all started. I could not have made it without my wife, Diane?s help? Ken said. Ken, a resident of Anchorage, and a retired teacher, has more than 4000 hours in the air, and has been an EAA member since 1997. The 5,200-mile flight in his 1963 Piper PA 18 Super Cub took six days to complete.

EAA?s ?Countdown to Kitty Hawk? program, which is also supported by Microsoft Flight Simulator and Eclipse Aviation, includes construction of an exact flying reproduction of the 1903 Wright flyer, and a six-stop national tour of EAA?s ?Countdown to Kitty Hawk? pavilion exhibit, which features the Flyer, historic artifacts and Wright brothers correspondence from the Library of Congress, and numerous interactive aviation displays.

The tour will culminate at Kill Devil Hills, N.C., when as part of the Centennial of Flight Celebration, EAA?s Wright Flyer will fly again at 10:35 a.m. on Dec. 17, 2003?precisely 100 years to the minute from when the Wrights made history.

For more information on EAA?s ?Countdown to Kitty Hawk? program, search the website at www.countdowntokittyhawk.com.

Anne.

Todd C
11-03-2003, 08:33 PM
By chance, I met Ken & his wife during their return trip when they stopped in Tulsa for fuel. Heck of a nice guy, he even gave me a couple of Northern Pilot magazines and answered my many questions about his Super Cub.