National Aviation Day: Five Ways to Celebrate

In honor of the aviation pioneer, Orville Wright, National Aviation Day is celebrated every year on his birthday, August 19. President Roosevelt established this day in 1936 as a way to celebrate and appreciate the developments of aviation throughout the many decades and to support its future. We wanted to share ways you can commemorate this special day on August 19.

1. Take Someone Flying
   So… to all our aviation enthusiasts, we invite you to commemorate the past, celebrate the present, and advance the future of aviation by you guessed it- flying. Share your love of aviation with someone else. This is the perfect day to help someone else take the first step to discover the fun & freedom of flying. Future aviators interested in learning more about flying can reach out to their local flight school to schedule an introductory flight of their own.
2. Have a Paper Airplane Contest
   AOPA has created these downloadable templates for you. Have the family compete against each other and come up with some cool prizes. Perhaps one winner can get out of dishwasher duty for a week, or another winner will get to eat dessert first one night. You can be super creative with the prizes.
3. Watch an Aviation-Themed Movie
   There’s no shortage of classic aviation-themed movies available to watch. We even provided our top five here. So grab the popcorn and enjoy the wonder that is flight.
4. Have a Picnic Near a Local Airport
   Identify a spot and load a picnic basket with lots of your favorite food, and camp out next to the airport for an afternoon of plane spotting. Relax on a comfy blanket and see how many different types of airplanes you can count or identify.
5. Learn About the History of Aviation
   Take some time to reflect on the important developments in the history of aviation that led us to where we are today. Read a book about a famous aviator or learn something new about the rise of aviation in America.

However, you choose to celebrate National Aviation Day, we hope you learn something you didn’t know about this exciting subject. It’s been fascinating people for decades and is something we get excited about every day because we’re proud to be aviators!