Wright Flyer project wins national award
Utah State University received honors from the Parents’ Choice Foundation in recognition of the History Channel production on the USU Wright Flyer project. The USU Wright Flyer was featured on The History Channel’s world premier special presentation of, “The Wright Challenge,” in December of 2003. The production highlighted four teams from around the country to determine whether or not they had the “Wright stuff” when they took the challenge to build and fly replicas of the Wright Flyer to commemorate 100 years of flight.
The Parents’ Choice Awards are given to products that meet and exceed standards set by educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents and kids, identifying the best products for children of different ages, backgrounds, skills and interests. The Parents’ Choice Award Committees search out and recommend products that help kids grow-imaginatively, physically, morally and mentally-fairly priced products that are fun, safe and socially soun
“It’s exciting to receive recognition from a national organization that screens videos and movies and decide what is benefiting our children,” said Dave Widauf, associate professor of industrial technology and education in the College of Engineering.
Fewer than 15 percent of those items submitted to the Parents’ Choice Awards program receive a commendation, underscoring the coveted and prestigious achievement of being honored with a commendation from the Parents’ Choice Awards program.
The USU Wright Flyer, a student-designed, student-built, space-age replica of the Wright brothers’ aircraft, has flown nearly 300 times since its first flight in March of 2003. The longest flight of 12 minutes was recorded in a historic moment during the Inventing Flight Celebration in Dayton, Ohio. On July 5, 2003, the USU Wright Flyer became the first and only flyer to fly over historic Huffman Prairie Flying Field since the Wright brothers’ in the early 1900s.
“This just helps us further our goal to excite young people,” said Widauf. “Hopefully we light in them a desire to come to the university and pursue careers in aviation technology, engineering or other sciences.”