More than 100 years ago, two brothers from Ohio made history on the Outer Banks when they were credited with flying the first motorized aircraft. For Orville and Wilbur Wright, Dec. 17, 1903, was the culmination of years of research and preparation for their memorable flight. The date is one that is engraved in the history of mankind, it is annually celebrated with events that mark the monumental accomplishment of the Wright Brothers.

“Every aspect of our lives has been touched by aviation,” said Phil Woodruff, President of the First Flight Society.

Celebrations marking the 111th anniversary of flight, began on the Outer Banks with a celebration banquet at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk on Dec. 16. The banquet, sponsored by the First Flight Society, included a silent auction and door prizes. The band “The Flying Musicians” also performed at the banquet.

Events continued on Dec. 17 with the annual flyover and wreath-laying ceremony that began at 9 a.m. Mary Feik, the first woman engineer in research and development at the Air Technical Service Command’s Engineering Division, will be inducted into the Paul Gruber First Flight Shrine at 11:15 a.m. The flyover sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau will took place at 10:35 a.m. and lasted around thirty minutes. Entrance fees to the park were waived for the day of the celebration.

Sophomore Cara Strachan volunteers at the memorial and was in charge of an event where children ran the distance of the Wright Brothers’ first flight and tried to beat their airtime of 12 seconds. Strachan believes that locals should participate in celebrating this historic event.

“It’s important for people to attend this event because of the Wright’s amazing achievement and the fact that we’ve enjoyed it for over 100 years,” Strachan said.  “Especially for the locals who live so close and have this wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in Kitty Hawk’s aviation history.”

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