Dyer Delivers Rhode Island State Flag To Wright Brothers Memorial

KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. - November 21, 2003 - Rick Dyer, an EAA member-pilot from West Kingston, Rhode Island, officially represented the state in EAA's "50 Flags to Kitty Hawk" program on Friday, November 21 when he landed at the Wright Brothers National Memorial and presented the Rhode Island state flag to National Park Service officials.

Dyer 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.

Dyer was the 50th EAA-member pilot to complete the journey to Kitty Hawk, where he also presented National Park Service officials with a signed gubernatorial proclamation declaring November 21, 2003, as "50 Flags to Kitty Hawk Day" throughout the state. Following the presentation, the Rhode Island flag was raised at the Wright Brothers National Memorial site.

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.