Kip Pratt Delivers South Carolina State Flag To Wright Brothers Memorial

KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. - July 17, 2003 - Kip Pratt, an EAA member pilot from Goose Creek, South Carolina officially represented the state in EAA's "50 Flags to Kitty Hawk" program Thursday, July 17, when he landed at the Wright Brothers National Memorial and presented the state flag to National Park Association officials.

Kip Pratt was 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.

Pratt was the 13th EAA-member pilot to complete the journey to Kitty Hawk, where he also presented National Park Service officials with a signed proclamation from Governor Mark Sanford, declaring July 17th, 2003 as "50 Flags to Kitty Hawk Day" throughout the state. Following the presentation, the South Carolina flag was raised at the Wright Brothers National Memorial site, where it flew for the entire day.

"I am honored to be a part of history," Pratt said. "I am always eager to do what I can to promote and educate people on the importance and vast impact aviation has on our society. We can not live without aviation."

Pratt is an airport director and president of the South Carolina Aviation Association with more than 3,200 hours of flight time. He's been an EAA member since 2000. Pratt's 275-mile took 2 hours, 25 minutes to complete with his wife, Gray, and 3-year-old daughter Mary in a 2000 Cessna 172 SP.

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, visit www.countdowntokittyhawk.com.