GENERAL INFORMATION

On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully flew the world’s first powered, controlled, heavier-than-air airplane. Since that first flight over North Carolina’s windswept dunes and the subsequent flights in Ohio, many others have contributed to realizing the human dream of flight—not merely above Earth, but also beyond the atmosphere. This symposium honors the Wright brothers’ invention and the contributions of scientists, engineers, daredevil pilots, bold entrepreneurs, military strategists, and creative administrators and managers who contributed to placing human flight among the most important technical achievements of the twentieth century.

NASA and its cosponsors are proud to present this free, public symposium on people who have contributed to realizing the dream of flight. Three panels will address “Dreamers and Doers,” “Barnstormers and Entrepreneurs,” and “Aviation Leaders and Managers.” We welcome managers, scholars, students, journalists, and all those who are interested in aeronautics and space history to register and attend.

While the audience will probably be familiar with some of the pioneers profiled, the symposium presenters will also challenge the audience to think about pioneers who are not so well known. In addition, the symposium aims to consider how various pioneers have pursued their dreams of flight and how flight itself has made lasting marks on society.