Friday marked the eighth annual Wright Brothers Day at Wright State – a celebration of Wilbur Wright’s flight on Huffman Prairie on Oct. 5, 1905. It was also an opportunity for students to observe and interact in a handful of inventions from Wright State and the greater Dayton area. It was held in the Student Union Atrium from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wright Brothers Day is intended to “highlight the innovative spirit of the Wright Brothers,” said Samantha Andrus, president of the Wright State American Marketing Association, which organized the event in conjunction with the Office of Marketing. This is the first time that the event has taken place on the week of homecoming. “We got lucky this year,” Andrus said.
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Vendor stands at this year’s event included a flight simulator, a cardiac risk interface, a robotic arm, information from the Wright State archives and a virtual reality (VR) surgery simulation. It also featured free pizza, raffle prizes, a selfie station and other games.
“I think it was pretty cool,” said Jason Martin, a freshman at Wright State. Martin said that he attended the VR station and robotic arm and got pizza and a free T-shirt. He recommends that other students check out Wright Brothers Day in the future. “I feel like if you’re on campus, you should go.”
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MacAir Aviation from the Greene County airport bought a flight simulator. Students had the chance to try the simulator and learn about opportunities available in the aerospace industry, according to Doug Magoffin, a flight instructor with MacAir Aviation. Magoffin said that Wright Brothers Day is a great opportunity for students to exchange ideas and learn about technology, “I think it’s wonderful.”
The Wright State Archives brought an exhibit of early aviation pioneers from the early 20th century. “It’s just fun to learn about these people who had such courage to try something new at a time that it really wasn’t an exact science,” said Dawne Dewey, head of the Wright State Archives. “This year, I feel like we were busier than we’ve ever been at Wright Brothers Day. I think it’s been a lot of fun."
