WASHINGTON – Ahead of National Aviation Day on Aug. 19, kicking off National Aviation Week, Reps. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) and Salud Carbajal (D-California), co-chairs of the House Aerospace Caucus, issued a joint celebratory statement.
 
"The United States is the birthplace of flight – from the Wright Brothers' 1903 flight to Charles Lindbergh's first transatlantic non-stop solo flight to Amelia Earhart's first solo crossing of the Atlantic by a woman – our country has been home to the premier pioneers of the skies. Today, American innovators, manufacturers, aircrew, ground crew and flight enthusiasts are making breakthroughs in aviation and securing safe and reliable transportation for hundreds of millions of passengers each year," said Reps. Estes and Carbajal. "During National Aviation Week, the House Aerospace Caucus celebrates American aviation as we remember the great achievements of the past and look forward to the many advances of the future."
 
First established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939, National Aviation Day is celebrated every Aug. 19 in observance of Orville Wright's birthday. The day falls within National Aviation Week, which begins Aug. 19 this year.
 
The House Aerospace Caucus supports American aviation and provides a brief overview of U.S. aerospace highlights on its website at estes.house.gov/aerospace.