EAA Wright Dinner Welcomes 225 Attendees For Scott Crossfield

December 20, 2005 - Aviation legend Scott Crossfield was warmly welcomed to EAA headquarters in Oshkosh Saturday where he delivered a keynote address for the annual Wright Brothers Memorial Dinner. More than 225 people attended the third annual event, held in the Eagle Hangar of EAA's AirVenture Museum, while EAA members from around the world participated via an exclusive webcast of the event. The first person in the world to reach the speed of Mach 2 (more than 1,250 mph), Crossfield provided a behind-the-scenes look at activities from two years earlier when he served as official flight instructor for EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk program. Crossfield instructed the designated "Pilots of the Century" Kevin Kochersberger and Terry Queijo on how to fly EAA's authentic replica 1903 Wright Flyer.
Kochersberger was pilot in command when that aircraft attempted to recreate history's first powered flight on December 17, 2003, at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Crossfield was there, anemometer in hand at the take-off site, but the airplane was unable to lift off the ground due to the less-than-accommodating weather.
About 225 people at the Annual Wright Memorial Dinner December 17.	Crossfield, however, showed Saturday's audience video footage taken November 20, 2003, when the '03 Flyer flew more than 100 feet at the Wright Memorial site. Fifty years earlier, November 20, 1953, was the date Crossfield piloted the Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket research aircraft to Mach 2 at Edwards Air Force Based, California. Other video clips showed Crossfield piloting a replica 1902 Wright Brothers glider that was used to help train Kochersberger and Queijo. Crossfield said he did not want to let anyone do anything he would not do himself first.
Following the program, Crossfield stayed behind to sign autographs and pose for pictures with dozens of thrilled attendees. Also during the program, EAA Museum Director Adam Smith introduced Bill Castlen, who was recently credited with piloting the 1.2 millionth EAA Young Eagle on November 25. Bill has flown 237 Young Eagles since January 1994, and has flown 48 kids in 2005. He is a member of EAA Chapter 108, Fort Walton Beach, Florida.	Bill Castlen flew the 1.2 millionth Young Eagle in November.
Douglas Conciatu marked his 1,000th Young Eagle this year.	Smith also invited Douglas Conciatu, Sterling Heights, Michigan, to the stage to receive a leather EAA Jacket in honor of flying his 1,000th Young Eagle. The event's webcast is available at http://www.uwex.edu/ics/stream/eaa/