Ohio names Wright Flyer III as official state airplane

Ohio has officially designated the 1905 Wright Flyer III as the state's official airplane, recognizing its historical significance and connection to the state's pioneering aviation legacy. This designation was influenced by the aircraft's status as Orville and Wilbur Wright's crowning achievement, symbolizing the advent of practical fixed-wing flight. The Flyer III made its first sustained flight in a cow pasture at Huffman Prairie, located outside Dayton, Ohio, underscoring the region's critical role in aviation history. Amanda Wright Lane, a grandniece of the Wright brothers, brought personal testimony to the occasion, comparing the Wright Flyer III to a groundbreaking achievement akin to Tesla's impact on innovation. She noted that the plane represented the beginning of a human flight plan to Mars, linking the historic advancements in aviation to contemporary efforts in space exploration. She highlighted that NASA's Martian helicopter, Ingenuity, operates on principles reminiscent of those demonstrated by the Wright brothers. In her speech during the legislative discussions, Wright Lane stressed that adopting the Wright Flyer III would serve as an inspiring symbol of ingenuity and exploration. She reflected on the Wright brothers' contributions to distance reduction among people 125 years ago and highlighted that today's Ohioans continue to push the boundaries of engineering and exploration in both air and space. The Wright Flyer III incorporates numerous advancements over its predecessor, the Wright Flyer I, which famously made the first powered flight in December 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Among these improvements are a larger rudder and a rearward vertical stabilizer, which contributed to its enhanced performance. The Ohio History Connection's representative, Kevin Boehner, provided details on its features to emphasize the technical prowess involved in the aircraft's design. By choosing this historic aircraft as the state's official airplane, Ohio not only honors its past but also inspires future generations to pursue the fields of aviation and space technology.