Final 25 EAA Member-Pilots Chosen to Fly State Flags to Kitty Hawk

6/05/03 - EAA and the National Park Service - partners in EAA’s Countdown to Kitty Hawk program, presented by Ford Motor Company, announced today the final 25 EAA member-pilots that have been chosen to represent their states in EAA’s “50 Flags to Kitty Hawk” initiative, celebrating the achievements of the Wright brothers and 100 years of powered flight. The 25 pilots selected will fly their respective state flag to the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk, N.C., on a day of their choice prior to December 1, 2003.

Each pilot will also carry a proclamation from that state’s Governor declaring the day of their flight “50 Flags to Kitty Hawk Day” for their respective state. Upon arriving in Kitty Hawk, each pilot will be welcomed by the National Park Service, take part in official welcoming ceremonies, after which the flag of their respective state will be raised and flown throughout the day at the National Memorial. At year’s end, the flags delivered will be used in the creation of a permanent EAA/NPS “50 Flags to Kitty Hawk” display at the site.

The 25 pilots selected are:

• Tony Palesotti, Searcy, Ark., an EAA member since 2000, who will fly his Cessna 310P to Kitty Hawk on Sept. 6, his birthday.
• Robert Brackett, Kingman, Ariz., an EAA member since 1969, who will fly his Beech Baron C55 to Kitty Hawk in October or November.
• Richard Urash, Americus, Ga., an EAA member since 1993, who will fly his Luscombe 8A to Kitty Hawk in June or July.
• Douglas Kandle, Boise, Idaho, an EAA member since 1996, who will fly his Cessna 206 to Kitty Hawk from July 22-27.
• Shane Vande Voort, Pella, Iowa, an EAA member since 1998, who will fly his Cessna 120 at a date yet to be determined.
• Steve Koch, Louisville, Ky., an EAA member since 2001, who will fly his BE55 to Kitty Hawk in mid-summer.
• Emmett Carson, Lafayette, La., an EAA member since 1970, who will fly his V35 Bonanza to Kitty Hawk at a date yet to be determined .
• John Gobel, Frankfort, Maine, an EAA member since 2000, who along with other members of the Main Powerchute Association will fly the flag to Kitty Hawk in rotating stages of 20-30 miles each, passing the flag onto the next pilot at pre-designated rendezvous points along the way.
• Denny Workman, Arnold, Md., an EAA member since 1991, who will fly his Mustang II to Kitty Hawk on a date yet to be determined.
• Raymond Lehner Jr., Charlton, Mass., an EAA member since 1981, who will fly his Cessna 172 to Kitty Hawk on July 7.
• Kevin Rebman, Maple Grove, Minn., an EAA member since 2002, who will fly his PA-28R-200 to Kitty Hawk on Aug. 31.
• Ray Sanders, Kalispell, Mont., an EAA member since 1973, who will fly his Travel Air 6000 to Kitty Hawk in mid-September.
• Jon Enevoldsen, Lincoln, Neb., an EAA member since 1990, who will fly his Cessna 170 to Kitty Hawk on July 13.
• James Bonelli, Las Vegas, Nev., an EAA member since 1996, who will fly his Cessna T-41B to Kitty Hawk in mid-July.
• Robert Hough, Derry, NH, an EAA member since 1991, who will fly his 1943 Grumman Widgeon Amphibian to Kitty Hawk on July 23. Accompanying him will be Jack Ferns, the New Hampshire Director of Aeronautics.
• Malia Mosman, Grand Forks, N.D., an EAA member since 2001, is an aviation student at the University of North Dakota. She will be flying her Piper Warrior to Kitty Hawk at a date yet to be determined.
• Cheryl Cruson, Ontario, Ore., an EAA member since 1986, will be flying her RV-6 to Kitty Hawk at a date yet to be determined.
• Rick Dyer, West Kingston, R.I., an EAA member since 1995, who will fly his Viking DragonFly to Kitty Hawk in September.
• Kip Pratt, Goose Creek, S.C., an EAA member since 2000, who will fly his Millennium Edition Cessna 172 to Kitty Hawk at a date yet to be determined.
• Amanda Svec, Estelline, S.D., an EAA member since 2002, who will fly her Cessna 172 SP to Kitty Hawk on June 26.
• Marc Reynolds, Huntsville, Utah, an EAA member since 1999, who will fly his Aviat Husky to Kitty Hawk at a date yet to be determined.
• Larry Howard/Addison Pemberton, Greenacres, Wash., an EAA member since 1997, who will fly his Stearman Senior Speedmail to Kitty Hawk on Sept. 19.
• Michael Sheridan, Lewisburg, W.V., an EAA member since 1995, who will fly his Cessna 182 to Kitty Hawk in November.
• Timothy Hu, Cheyenne, Wy., an EAA member since 1998, who will fly his Cherokee Six to Kitty Hawk on Sept. 26.
• Edgar Tello, Ponce, Puerto Rico, an EAA member since 2001, who will fly his Republic RC-3 Seabee to Kitty Hawk during the last week of July.

These selections bring to 51 (including Puerto Rico) the number of states represented in the “50 Flags to Kitty Hawk” program. EAA’s Countdown to Kitty Hawk program was created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of powered flight. Highlighting the initiative is the planned flight of an exact reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer on Dec. 17, 2003, at Kitty Hawk, N.C. For more information on Countdown to Kitty Hawk or EAA’s “50 Flags to Kitty Hawk” program, check the official Countdown to Kitty Hawk website (www.countdowntokittyhawk.com)