The USU Wright Flyer on its way to home of Wright Brothers

After two years and more than 10,000 hours of hard work from Utah State engineering and aviation technology students and faculty, the USU Wright Flyer has taken off.

The USU Wright Flyer, a futuristic replica of the Wright brothers’ plane, will fly for the last time in Utah before heading to the national flight celebration. The Flyer was recently on display at the Ogden celebration, 100 Years of Flight, at the Ogden-Hinckley Airport.

Wayne Larsen, a flight instructor and agricultural pilot from Box Elder County, conducted low-level flights throughout the day.

At the air show the USU Wright Flyer team presented information on engineering, aviation and aerospace technology, the history of the Wright brothers and their accomplishments and the history of aviation.

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of powered flight, Utah State University students and faculty, working with the Space Dynamics Laboratory, designed and constructed the replica using space-age materials. The celebration of powered flight will give the residents of Utah an opportunity to reflect on the past and compare it to the future.

Kevlar and graphite replace the muslin and spruce used in the original flyer. These two composites are manufactured in Utah and used in the space shuttles, next-generation rockets and military aircrafts.

The USU Wright Flyer project has been designated as an official part of centennial events by the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. The flyer will travel to Dayton, Ohio, in July to the Inventing Flight Celebration. On July 4, the USU Wright Flyer will fly from Wright Patterson Air Force Base over historic Huffman Prairie, where the Wright brothers practiced their flights 100 years ago. The flyer will also participate in a July 4 parade and then will be on static display at Huffman Prairie July 4^9. The flyer will move to the Wright Memorial where it will reside as part of a static display July 10-16.

At the Dayton Memorial Air show, July 17-20, the USU Wright Flyer is one of the featured aircrafts and will take to the skies daily during that event.

To find out more about the USU Wright Flyer, see the Web sites at www.usuwrightflyer.org.