National Aviation Day

Categories:: Federal
Tags:: Historical
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Every August 19
Holiday emoji:: ✈️

National Aviation Day takes flight every August 19, commemorating the incredible advancements and pioneers in aviation history. This federal observance, coinciding with Orville Wright’s birthday, invites us to appreciate the revolutionary impact of flight. Explore local air shows, visit aviation museums, or share your favorite flying memories.

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Expected National Aviation Day Deals

National Aviation Day focuses more on recognition and education than commercial deals, but many aviation-related organizations and museums offer special programming. Expect institutions like the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and local flight schools to host open houses or discounted entry. Airlines such as Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines might share historical content or offer loyalty program bonuses. Aviation gear retailers like Sporty’s Pilot Shop could feature sales on pilot supplies. Look for special events at regional airports and science centers. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as August 19 approaches.

Platform Guide for National Aviation Day

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #NationalAviationDay. Share historical facts, iconic aircraft photos, or aviation news.

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #AviationCareers. Highlight aviation professionals, industry trends, or career opportunities.

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalAviationDay. Post stunning aerial photography, vintage aircraft, or behind-the-scenes airport content.

National Aviation Day Hero

Orville Wright

Orville Wright, born on August 19, 1871, was an American aviation pioneer credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful airplane alongside his brother Wilbur. On December 17, 1903, he made the first sustained flight, forever changing transportation and human capability. His legacy continues to inspire generations of engineers and aviators.

National Aviation Day timeline

1st Century AD

Chinese emperor

Legend has it that Chinese Emperor Wang Mang ordered a soldier to strap two wings to his back, who then flew 100 meters.

9th Century AD

An Andalusian takes flight

Abbas ibn Firnas is said to have covered himself with feathers, attached wings to his body and (according to Algerian historian Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari) "flew a considerable distance."

1799

Cayley is the "father of aviation"

Sir George Cayley, an English engineer, described the model for a modern airplane — a fixed-wing machine with lift, propulsion and control mechanisms.

August 19, 1871

Brother Orville is born

Orville Wright was born in Dayton, Ohio. His older brother, Wilbur, had been born in Millville, Indiana, on April 16, 1867.

December 17, 1903

Orville pilots a plane

The Wright Brothers — with Orville at the helm and Wilbur making a final wing adjustment — completed the first sustained flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft on a spit of land four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

How Businesses Can Celebrate National Aviation Day

Local businesses can celebrate National Aviation Day by highlighting the role of aviation in their operations or community. Travel agencies can offer special packages to destinations accessible by air. Restaurants near airports could offer discounts to aviation professionals. Retailers might create window displays featuring model airplanes or books on flight history. Companies involved in logistics can share behind-the-scenes content on how air cargo impacts their supply chain, recognizing the efficiency and reach that aviation provides. Consider sponsoring a local aviation club or a STEM program focused on aerospace.

National Aviation Day FAQs

When is National Aviation Day?

National Aviation Day 2026 takes place on Wednesday, August 19, commemorating the birthday of aviation pioneer Orville Wright. It’s a day to reflect on the incredible advancements in flight.

Who established National Aviation Day?

President Franklin D. Roosevelt established National Aviation Day in 1939, designating August 19 as the annual observance. The date was chosen to coincide with Orville Wright’s birthday, honoring his pivotal role in powered flight.

How many people fly each year?

Globally, commercial airlines carry billions of passengers annually. In the United States alone, the FAA reports that over 800 million passengers flew on U.S. airlines in 2023, a number expected to continue growing.

Is National Aviation Day a federal holiday?

While National Aviation Day is a federal observance, it is not a federal holiday, meaning government offices and most businesses remain open. It’s a day for recognition rather than a public day off.

National Aviation Day Activities

Take a trip to North Carolina
What better way to commemorate the achievements of the Wright brothers than by flying to North Carolina and visiting the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills? Think of it as a pilgrimage to the spot where American flight first took off.
Build your own airplane
It doesn't have to be a real one, of course. You can build an airplane using Legos. Or, you can go for that old school-days standby — the paper plane.
Go "planespotting"!
Gather with a group of friends where you can watch airplanes taking off and landing. Bring food if the spirit moves you — a "planespotting" picnic!

5 High-flying Facts About Aviation

There aren't that many aviophobes
Although it may seem like a lot of people are afraid to fly, aviophobia afflicts only about 6.5 percent of the population.
Maybe that's because so few have flown
Worldwide, only about 5 percent of the population has been on an airplane.
A president flies
The first U.S. president to fly in an airplane was the adventurous Theodore Roosevelt, who flew in a Wright Flyer on October 11, 1910.
It started with bicycles
The Wright Brothers got their mechanical training as owners of a bicycle shop.
Who needs an engine?
A Boeing 747 without engine power can glide about two miles for every 1,000 feet or so that the plane is above the ground.

Why We Love National Aviation Day

We always choose the window seat
Yes, some of us still stare in wonder out the plane's window as we ponder something that seems delightfully impossible. We are, after all, sitting inside a giant flying machine traveling many hundreds of miles per hour, thousands of feet above the landscape below. How can this be?
Space is the final frontier
Many of the mechanical, technological and scientific breakthroughs in space travel would be unthinkable without the advancements inspired by the Wright Brothers' original experiments on a sandy strip of North Carolina coastline.
The proclamation is simple and beautiful
The National Aviation Day proclamation invites "the people of the United States to observe National Aviation Day with appropriate exercises to further stimulate interest in aviation in the United States." In short, it's a day to keep planes on the membrane!