NATIONAL AVIATION DAY – HONORING OUR AVIATORS BY NIKKI HOFFMAN

NATIONAL AVIATION DAY – HONORING OUR AVIATORSNational Aviation Day is Saturday, August 19. The date coincides with Orville Wright's birthday. In 1903, Orville piloted his first successful flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, at age 32. With his brother Wilbur, he proved that air travel was indeed possible.Honoring our brave aviators is a mission of the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, known as the Blue Angels. Their aerial displays have amazed us since their creation in 1946. An estimated 11 million spectators attend air shows from March through November. Working with local communities, the Blue Angels team visits schools and hospitals across the county. One hundred fifty-four active-duty Sailors and Marines are part of the Blue Angels. The spectacular season-ending show is November’s Homecoming Air Show at the Blue Angels base, the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida.The Blue Angels have selected the first woman demonstration pilot to fly Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft. Lt. Amanda Lee, 37, debuted as the Left Wing demo pilot on March 11, 2023, in El Centro, California. Lee enlisted in the Navy in 2007. Her career began as an aviation electronics technician. Lee inspires female pilots, present and future, motivated by her encouraging story.The Blue Angels' heart-stopping air shows stir pride in our great country. They are ambassadors of U.S. Naval aviation, uplifting our spirits and reminding us of our nation's capabilities. Displaying "teamwork, professionalism, and precision," we salute the brave aviators in our Harbor Hills community and worldwide on National Aviation Day.