Trademark Turbulence 2003 98Th Celebration
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE P. O. Box 1903, Kitty Hawk, NCFlyer 27949 Spring 2002 www.firstflight.org • Ph. 252-441-1903 Trademark Turbulence 2003 By Tom Halfhill There have been many problems in the planning for the “biggie” in 2003. Jealousies and turf battles, personality differences and other obstacles have emerged along the way. It appears however that recently most of those problems have been settled and some egos soothed. But new ones crop up as might be expected when working with so many people and groups. The latest blow hit the local newspapers and it involves trademarks and copyrights. A California company called The Roger Richman (no pun intended) Agency, Inc. of Beverly Hills, apparently specializes in seeking trademarks and copyrights on notable persons dead or alive. (Who said bounty hunters died with the Old West?) The agency wants to claim the rights to using “The 100th Anniversary of Flight”, the “Wright Brothers” and many other combina- tions. This action––if successful––will not stop the celebration but will put a damper on some Wick Wright during one of his last trips to the Outer Banks posing with Madge Daniels Barber (left) and Alma things and make all of the planners very cau- Etheridge Wilson, daughters of First Flight witnesses,John T. Daniels and Adam Etheridge (photo by Lisa Holian). tious in what they plan to do and say. Reportedly, The Wright Family Fund will memorialize Orville and Wilbur Wright. We to honor the Wright Brothers and the First receive 65-percent of the royalties and the have been doing that in different ways since Flight. Agency the rest. The president of the Agency 1926 without interference or having to worry According to history, the only thing the was quoted as saying that Wilkinson Wright, about trademarks and copyrights. We are a vol- Wright brothers wanted to protect was their grandnephew of the brothers contacted him unteer, non-profit organization that mainly technical ac hievements. With the much- some 12 years ago to represent the family. We depends on membership dues and donations improved 1905 craft, many successful flights first heard about this effort about five years ago to function. Each year the Society spends sever- were made at Huffman Prairie near Dayton, at a Centennial Commission meeting in Raleigh al thousand dollars to stage the various events Ohio, witnessed by many people. The brothers and I personally asked “Wick” Wright about it. SEE TURBULENCE continued on page 2 We both were members of the Commission at that time. He did not disclose any knowledge of these events to me and I asked him if someone th were successful, how would it affect the First 98 Celebration Highlights Flight Society. His answer was that it should not by Tom Halfhill affect the Society. Those of us who knew and worked with Wick find it hard to believe that he Coast Guard and the crowd-pleaser, A more seasonably weather day with would knowingly do anything that might “The Spirit of Kitty Hawk” B-2 stealth a good turnout of patrons, the morning impede the success of the many people bomber. Closing the program was a program went smoothly with a stirring involved in the endeavor to have a memorable “Missing Man” formation of F-15 speech by Gen. Ralph Eberhart of USAF celebration of the first flight. Eagles—a rare and very special event. and the induction of aviation pioneer As you readers and members know, the This year for the 99th anniversary, Clyde Cessna for the theme “General First Flight Society and its predecessor, was an even bigger program is in the plan- Aviation” into our Shrine. At 10:35, one responsible for getting the Wright Memorial ning stage. of the largest fly-overs occurred with built and the Park formed. Our only purpose is And the countdown to 2003. to foster and promote a public awareness of, civilian aircraft—many Cessna’s”—and and widespread interest in the origin, history military planes from the Air Force, Navy, and future of flight, in all its forms, and to AirVenture Cup Upcoming Events 2002 By Lisa Holian Wilbur Wright’s Birthday April 16 Orville Wright’s Birthday August 19 All the excitement of the AirVenture Cup Man Will Never Fly International Bendix Trophy Races of the RACE DAY July 20 and 21––The Meeting and Banquet 1930s is replicated in the Dare County Regional December 16––Annual Meeting and AirVenture Cup. The first Sunday July 21 Airport. For more infor- Banquet. For information contact Jim AirVenture cross country race at 6:30 am mation contact the Dare Dadson at 757-428-1822 or 757-437-0544. was held in 1998 with famous County Regional Airport aviators, such as Hoot The First Flight at 252-473-2600 or visit 99th Anniversary of Powered Flight Gibson, competing in the Society and the www.flytomqi.com. December 17––9:00 am at the Wright 1,000-mile race. “Century of Flight” Brothers National Memorial. Fly-over Racers in experimental Dare County Golf Tournament begins at 10:35 am. Contact 252-441-4434 or www.nps.gov/wrb for information. category aircraft take-off in Icarus International Manteo from the Dare Regional Airport will sponsor this first 12:00 pm FFS Luncheon and Annual County Airport and proceed will sponsor a annual competition at Meeting, Comfort Inn South, Nags Head to the starting line which is The Currituck Club in For tickets mail $25 per person, to FFS, located between the Wright breakfast to give Corolla on Saturday P. O. Box 1903, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949. Brothers Memorial and the the public a chance June 8, 2002. Proceeds First Flight Airport. The time will help support the 7:00 pm––Wright Brothers’ Anniversary starts as the aircraft passes to meet the pilots construction of the Ball, Ramada Inn, Kill Devil Hills. this point, not at take-off. new monument dedi- For tickets mail $125 per person, to FFS, The racers will go to and see the aircraft cated to a Century of P. O. Box 1903, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949. Wright Brothers Airport in which will be on Flight that will be Icarus International Art Exhibition Dayton, Ohio for an located near the and Competition overnight pit stop. The next display until 30 Aycock Brown Throughout December––Glenn Eure’s day pilots will make a pylon minutes prior to Welcome Center in Ghost Fleet Gallery and Seaside Art Gallery turn at Aurora and then head Kitty Hawk. For more in Nags Head. For information contact to their final destination in race time. information contact www.icarusinternational.com or phone Oshkosh and the home of 252-255-5981. 252-441-6584. event sponsor, the Experimental Aircraft 99th Anniversary of Powered Flight Association. Contact the National Park Service at 252- The aircraft with the overall shortest time 441-4434 or visit www.nps.gov/wrb. will be declared the winner by judges using atomic clocks on the GPS satellites at all loca- TURBULENCE continued from cover tions. Winners will also be named for the short- est time in each of the 5 categories. were still seeking patents and finally obtained squeeze the shutter bulb when the airplane On race day, Sunday July 21, 2002 at 6:30 them. During that time they were afraid of too reached the end of the rail. Fortunately, Mr. am, the First Flight Society and the Dare much publicity but by 1908, they sought pub- Daniels did as he was instructed and one of the County Regional Airport will sponsor a break- licity that would enable them to sell their prod- most famous pictures of all time was taken. fast to give the public a chance to meet the uct and start to make some money. They had They had to wait until their return to Dayton to pilots and see the aircraft which will be on dis- many photographs of their flights to prove their develop the glass plates to see the results. play until 30 minutes prior to race time. The achievements. The famous “Daniels” picture of Sometime later they unselfishly and willingly breakfast also serves as a fundraiser for the First the first flight is a good example of the brother’s gave Daniels all the credit for taking the picture, Flight Society. intent. Prior to their attempts to fly on which made him famous and memorable. It To find out more about the AirVenture Cup, December 17, 1903, they would mount their hardly seems plausible that the Wright brothers visit the E.A.A. website at www.eaa.org or con- camera on a tripod, aim it at the end of the would want to copyright and trademark all ref- tact the Dare County Regional Airport at 252- wooden-rail runway and focus it. They had erences to their names and accomplishments. 473-2600 or www.flytomqi.com. instructed John T. Daniels, a surfman, how to Wright Brothers Early Military Aviation February 10, 1908 The first formal Army contract signed by September 17, 1908 August 2, 1909 U.S. Signal Corps with the Wright brothers Orville crashes airplane during Army test Orville completes demonstration at Fort with Captain Charles Wallace signing on flights. Orville severely injured and Lt. Myer, VA. And the formal acceptance of the behalf of U.S. and Orville for the brothers. Thomas Selfridge killed at Fort Myer, VA. machine by the U.S. Government, the first The Wrights’ agree to deliver for $25,000. This terminates the Wright’s Army trails for flying machine purchased and put in serv- by August 28, 1908 a heavier-than-air fly- the year.