Lee Delivers Kansas State Flag to Wright Brothers Memorial

KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. - November 24, 2003 - Benjamin Lee, an EAA member pilot from Wichita, KS, officially represented the state in EAA's "50 Flags to Kitty Hawk" program on Monday, November 24, when he landed at the Wright Brothers National Memorial and presented the Kansas state flag to National Park Service officials.

Lee 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.

Lee was the 51st EAA-member pilot to complete the journey to Kitty Hawk, where he also presented National Park Service officials with a signed proclamation from Governor Kathleen Sebelius, declaring September 5, 2003 as "50 Flags to Kitty Hawk Day" throughout the state. Following the presentation, the Kansas flag was raised at the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

"My family and I are just overwhelmed at the honor bestowed upon us by being chosen to represent the great state of Kansas in this very worthwhile endeavor," Lee said. "This is a trip that my children, my wife, and myself will remember for a lifetime."

A Wichita dentist, he has more than 1,000 hours in the air, and has been an EAA member since 1992. He made the 1,100-mile flight over the course of two days in a Cessna 206H.

EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk program, 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.