National Aviation Day: Interesting Facts And Ways To Celebrate

National Aviation Day is being celebrated on Aug. 19 since 1939. Made through a proclamation by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the holiday is observed to celebrate "all things aeronautical."

National Aviation Day is observed on the occasion of Orville Wright's birthday, who together with his brother Wilbur Wright completed the first "sustained flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft" in 1903.

Today, people can fly to many parts of the world thanks to the aviation industry. And this holiday is the perfect time to marvel at the power of flight and perhaps take a look back at how it has greatly evolved since aviation's early days.

People can celebrate the holiday by watching aviation-themed movies and documentaries or perhaps learn more about the science of flight. Some may also choose to spend the day "plane spotting" or building airplane models with friends or loved ones while those in the area may also visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.

If one chooses to celebrate National Aviation Day, the point is to invite "appropriate exercises to further stimulate interest in aviation in the United States."

On this day, let's have look at some facts that may spark your interest in aviation. (Courtesy: KidsKonnect, BAA Training and National Today)

1. Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. president to fly on a plane. He flew on a Wright flyer on Oct. 11, 1910.
2. Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KLM) is the world's oldest airline still in operation. It was formerly known as Royal Aviation Company.
3. The first African-American woman and Native American woman pilot was Bessie Coleman. Among her nicknames were "Brave Bessie" and "Queen Bess."
4. Pilots and co-pilots are advised not to eat the same meal when they are working. This is so that if something goes wrong, for instance, food poisoning, the other pilot may take over flying the plane.
5. The fear of flying is called aviophobia.
6. United Airlines hired its first female flight attendants in 1930. The world's first female stewardess was Ellen Church.
7. The Boeing 747 is among the most well-known commercial airliner. This famous aircraft is made up of about six million parts.
8. English aviator George Cayley is the Father of Aviation. He was the one who built the first glider that could fly short distances.
9. Although flying on airplanes seems to be a regular part of many people's lives today, only about 5% of the world's population have flown on an airplane.