Proclamation 6638

By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation

The modern era of aviation dawned on a wind-swept beach in North Carolina 90 years ago, when brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the unthinkable--most said impossible--sustained, powered flight in an aircraft. The "Flyer I" made its inaugural voyage on the morning of December 17, 1903. With Orville at the controls and Wilbur on the ground, the little craft stayed aloft for only 12 seconds and covered just 120 feet. But the brothers were not content to let that flight be their last; instead, they did their utmost to build and fly faster and better aircraft. The inventiveness, ingenuity, and dedication of the Wright brothers exalted the spirit of the American people.

This Nation's leadership in aviation that began with the Wright brothers continues today, as the prevailing technology has evolved from propeller power to jet engine propulsion, from supersonic transport to work on hypersonic aircraft. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and related industry are now working together to develop the technologies for a commercial transport that will travel at more than twice the speed of sound. Continued leadership in aviation is increasingly important in today's global economy, not only to maintain America's competitive position in that economy, but also to facilitate the flow of international commerce. As the Federal Aviation Administration works to maintain and improve the world's safest and most efficient air transportation system, Americans must continue the research and development of even faster, safer, quieter, and more efficient aircraft. We must also work to advance our knowledge of air traffic structures and required technology needed for tomorrow.

When Wilbur Wright died in 1912, his father said of him that he had "an unfailing intellect, * * * great self-reliance, and as great modesty. |He saw~ the right clearly, and pursu|ed~ it steadily * * *". These words apply not only to both of the Wright brothers, but to all who endeavor to apply the can-do spirit, inquisitiveness, and tenacity of the Wright brothers to the ongoing exploration of new aviation horizons.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December 17, 1963 (36 U.S.C. 169), has designated the seventeenth day of December of each year as "Wright Brothers Day" and requested the President to issue annually a proclamation inviting the people of the United States to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 1993, as Wright Brothers Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe the occasion with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighteenth.

William J. Clinton