Wright Flyer takes to the sky in Scotland to celebrate centenary of flight

Added : ( Tue Dec 16 2003 )

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Event time: Wednesday 17 December, 2003, 10:35am precisely.


Wright Flyer takes to the skies in Scotland to celebrate centenary of flight


A fragment of wing fabric from the world’s first powered aircraft will take to the
skies over Scotland exactly 100 years after its maiden flight at Kitty Hawk, North
Carolina.

The flight at Cumbernauld Airport near Glasgow will take place on Wednesday, 17th December 2003 at 10:35am, the exact time of the Wright Brother’s first
successful flight.

The historic relic, bought at a Sotheby’s auction eight years ago, will be flown in a flexwing microlight by Colin MacKinnon, chief flying instructor of the Cumbernauld-based Microlight Scotland flying school.

“Microlights, with their fabric-covered wings, are the direct descendants of those early flying machines - although a lot more robust and reliable,” he said.

“Scots have played a key role in the development of aviation - from the Clyde-built R34 airship’s first return Atlantic crossing, Glaswegian Jim Mollison’s first solo east-to-west flight and the 1933 conquest of Everest by air by Flt Lt David McIntyre and the Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale.

“So it is truly appropriate that we will celebrate the 100th birthday of flight by
taking a piece of the world’s first aircraft back into the skies over Scotland.”

ENDS ENDS

Note for editors:

If weather is unsuitable for microlights, Scotia Helicopters will fly the fabric.

Microlight Scotland is West and Central Scotland’s only microlight flying school.

Contact: Colin MacKinnon, Chief Flying Instructor, Tel: 0797 997 1301

Email: fly@microlightscotland.com Web: www.microlightscotland.com

Cumbernauld Airport is Scotland’s sport aviation centre - the only Scottish airport offering flight training in microlights, helicopters and light aircraft.
Control tower telephone: 01236 722 822
Cumbernauld Airport, Duncan McIntosh Road, Cumbernauld, nr Glasgow, G68 Submitted by: Colin MacKinnon Add your press release for free.

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