Scenes from the National Kick-off Ceremonies for the Centennial of Flight Celebrations
1903 to 2003 - Born of Dreams.. Inspired by Freedom
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| The invited guests were seated
underneath the original 1903 Wright Flyer |
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Left to right, Actor and Aviation Afficionado John Travolta was Master of Ceremonies with Centennial of Flight Commission members Gen. Dan Dailey (USMC, Ret.), head of the Air & Space Museum, Mr. Sean O'Keefe, NASA Administrator, Ms. Marion Blakey, FAA Administrator, and Mr. Michael Jackson, DOT Associate Administrator. |
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| Presenting
the colors to open the ceremonies |
This
was truly a media event, with numbers of press representatives in
attendance. |
In
the spirit of the holidays, the Museum displayed this beautiful tree
composed of floral arrangments. |
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| John Travolta introduces the new FAA Administrator, Marion Blakey. Little known prior to his becoming "Ambassador-at-Large" for Quantas Airways, Mr. Travolta is a avid pilot and aviation afficonado, and has logged nearly 5,000 hours of flight time in everything from general aviation to the Boeing 747. |
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| The Grumman Goose Amphibian. |
Holder of the unrefueled
distance record for a piston powered aircraft, Burt Rutan's Voyager hanges in the lobby of the
NASM. Piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeaeger, Voyager landed back at
Edwards AFB, CA, on Dec 23, 1986, after circumnavigating the globe. |
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| More
aircraft in the Early Flight display of the National Air & Space
Museum. |