The WRIGHT "B" FLYER located at Dayton
Wright Brothers Airport in conjunction with INVENTING FLIGHT, will replicate a flight
originally made by Wilbur Wright in 1909, and fly around the Statue of Liberty on Memorial
Day week-end. The WRIGHT "B" FLYER will be supported
by ten Dayton area volunteer crew-members who dedicate many hours a week to keep the
WRIGHT "B" flying. These crew-members consist of mechanics, pilots, and WRIGHT
"B" memorabilia sales reps. Financial support and media coordination are
provided by INVENTING FLIGHT, the official Dayton based 100th Anniversary of
Powered Flight organization The Statue of Liberty Reenactment Flight sponsored by Inventing Flight: Dayton 2003 When people first see the Wright "B" Flyer in the air these days, they usually do a double take and might just wonder if Orville Wright is still at the controls. Always an attention-getter, this look-alike airplane, built and flown by a group of volunteers from Dayton, Ohio, home of the Wright Brothers, pays homage to the first Wright "B" Flyer flown by Orville Wright on May 21, 1910. Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Warlick (Ret.) has been the lead pilot from this 1911 production Wright ‘B’ Flyer replica since its first flight in 1983. At 78 years old, he’s been flying since he was a young man in the Navy during WWII where he flew dive bombers off aircraft carriers in the Atlantic. After a stint in the Naval Reserves flying jets and transports, he moved into general aviation. With a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and extensive experience in engineering, sales and production of high temperature systems for industrial, marine, and aircraft, Mr. Warlick cuts a dashing figure in the vintage Army uniform that he wears when flying the Wright "B." John has made over a 1,000 flights in the Wright "B" Flyer which has been updated and modified to meet FAA requirements, including a radio and basic flight instrumentation. In 1974, he joined with other retired engineers, pilots and aviation buffs to build and maintain the flying replica of the Wright Brothers’ first military production airplane as an honor to Dayton, Ohio and its aviation heritage. He is President of the Wright "B" Flyer organization, a non-profit volunteer group dedicated to the preservation and re-enactment of the historic achievements of aviation. Flying Around Lady Liberty -- Wilbur Wright Circles the Statue of Liberty In 1909, New York City planned a huge Hudson-Fulton Celebration to commemorate two great episodes in the history of the Hudson River – the 300th anniversary of Captain Henry Hudson’s upstream cruise to the future site of Albany and the 100th anniversary of Robert Fulton’s steamboat trip. Wilber & Orville Wright, back from Europe, were asked to participate in the festivities with a flight around the Statue of Liberty. Taking off and landing at Governor’s Island, Wilbur succeeded in piloting the Wright Flyer for one of the most famous flights in aviation history. Wright ‘B’ Replica Relives Historical Moment On Memorial Day weekend, the members of Wright ‘B’ Flyer, Inc., based in Dayton, Ohio, will attempt to recreate this flight in the organization’s replica of the 1911 Wright ‘B’ military flyer. Built over several years by an army of 500-600 volunteers, the Wright ‘B’ Flyer look-a-like meets all FAA standards and usually flies in the skies over Dayton. However, as a partner of Inventing Flight: The Centennial Celebration, the plane has expanded its reach this year, flying over the Rose Bowl in January and now heading to New York City to recreate this famous flight. When the Wright ‘B’ Flyer takes to the skies, it always attracts attention. This recreated flight will be no different. On Monday, May 26th, weather permitting, the plane, piloted by John Warlick, will fly from Teterboro, up the Hudson and around the statue. Centennial of Flight Celebration The Wright ‘B’ Flyer organization is a partner of Inventing Flight: The Centennial Celebration to be held in Dayton, Ohio, the home of the Wright Brothers, this July 3-20. Consisting of three weeks of action-packed adventure, Inventing Flight has partnered with some of the greatest names, faces and locations in aviation and aerospace to bring a truly special series of personalities, events and programs to Dayton. A founding member of the US Centennial of Flight Commission and a signature event of the Ohio Bicentennial, Inventing Flight truly is the place to be in 2003. Plane Characteristics ###### [Back to top of page]
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