Photo Credit Dean Alexander.

Harris Hill Soaring Corporation was asked to participate in an historic soaring event - Soaring 100 a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Orville Wright's nearly 10 minute unpowered soaring flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

The Wrights successfully flew the first powered aircraft in 1903, but the first real, practical version of the aircraft was the Wright Flyer III in late 1905 back in Dayton on Huffman Prairie.  In 1911, the Wrights returned to Kitty Hawk with a glider to test improved stability controls and there on the dunes, Orville ridge soared for nearly 10 minutes in a 50 knot wind.  The record held for nearly 10 years before it was broken.

The 1911 glider soars over Kitty Hawk

Soaring 100 celebrated the achievement 100 years later and HHSC's membership made the trek to Kitty Hawk with a Duo Discus, a modern example of recent gliding technology.  Club member Mo Acee piloted the Discus in demos for the crowd, landing on the same stretch of grass that the Wrights flew the original Wright Flyer from.  Only 15 examples of gliders were selected for the demo flights and it was nice that HHSC and the National Soaring Museum were asked to participate!