Port
Authority Commemorates Building Dedicated to Aviation Veteran and School Contest Winners Announced The Port Authority marked the 100th anniversary of flight by the Wright Brothers in Kitty Hawk, NC by dedicating a building at John F. Kennedy International Airport in honor of Morris Sloane, a long-time Port Authority aviation employee. The bistate agency, which operates the three major airports in the region, also announced the winners of poster and essay contests commemorating the historic event. The Port Authority named Building 141 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in honor of Mr. Sloane, a resident of Yonkers, NY, for his distinguished service to the aviation community and the New York-New Jersey region during his 43 years at the agency. Mr. Sloane served as General Manager of JFK from 1968 to 1973. He was Director of Aviation Operations from 1987 until his retirement in 1991. Mr. Sloane was awarded the Port Authority’s distinguished service medal in 1990 for his creativity and superb managerial abilities in conceiving and completing bold public projects throughout his career. Port Authority Aviation Director William DeCota said, "The Wright Brothers pioneered flight and solved the physical and engineering challenges that allowed man to fly. Transferring that historic feat into a new mode of transportation that could ultimately serve millions of travelers fell to the skills and abilities of professionals like Morris Sloane. Mr. Sloane expertly managed projects critical to the advancement of aviation in this region. It is altogether fitting that we celebrate this historic day by dedicating a building at John F. Kennedy International Airport in honor of Mr. Sloane." The winner of the poster contest, with the theme "Flying Makes the World a Better Place Because…" is fifth grader Carol Villavicencio of Robert L. Craig School in Moonachie, NJ. The winning essays on the topic "The Evolution of Aviation – How the Rise of Aviation Has Changed America in a Century" are Brian Beidman of Hasbrouck Heights High School in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, and Duane Moore of Aviation High School in Queens, NY. Mr. DeCota said, "The historic flight of the Wright Brothers on December 17, 1903 forever changed not only the world of transportation, but the very nature of our daily lives and the relationship of individuals to the rest of the world. It revolutionized domestic and international travel, trade, commerce and tourism. The 100th anniversary presented an opportunity to reach out to students throughout the region to educate them about this landmark transportation achievement and ask them to reflect on its importance in their lives, the nation and the world." The winning posters will be displayed at Newark Liberty International and Teterboro airports. Essay contest winners will receive a $500 savings bond. In addition, a class from the Robert L. Craig School will be allowed to visit either the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ or the Intrepid Air-Space Museum in Manhattan. The Port Authority of New York
and New Jersey operates many of the busiest and most important transportation links in the
region. They include John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International,
LaGuardia and Teterboro airports; the George Washington Bridge; the Lincoln and Holland
tunnels; the three bridges between Staten Island and New Jersey; the PATH (Port Authority
Trans-Hudson) rapid-transit rail system; the Downtown Manhattan Heliport; Port Newark; the
Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal; the Howland Hook Marine Terminal on Staten
Island; the Brooklyn Piers/Red Hook Container Terminal; and the Port Authority Bus
Terminal in midtown Manhattan. The agency also owns the 16-acre World Trade Center site in
Lower Manhattan. The Port Authority is financially self-supporting and receives no tax
revenue from either state.
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