|
Aviation
Heroes Who Dared to Dream
 |
| NASA
Astronaut Terry Wilcutt |
NASA
Astronaut Terry Wilcutt (Colonel USMC) headlined the opening
of the photographic exhibit “The Wright Approach: Wilbur
and Orville and Their Flying Machine,” Saturday, Sept.
13, at the Kentucky Library and Museum.
During his presentation Wilcutt paid tribute to aviation pioneers
Wilbur and Orville Wright, and others who preceded them, who
dreamed that men could fly and had the creative drive and
ingenuity to make it happen.
For the Wright brothers, their dream became reality on Dec.
17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, N.C. It was a rainy, blustery morning—not
exactly the conditions the Wright brothers sought for an experimental
flight. Mid-morning, the rain stopped, but the wind continued
to blow at about 25 miles per hour. They decided to attempt
the flight anyway. Orville got aboard Flyer I, the ground
crew released restraints, the double-winged aircraft moved
down the launching rails, then went aloft. Flyer I pitched
up and down for about 12 seconds, then landed about 120 feet
out. This first successful heavier-than-air flight of a powered
flying machine with a man on board was followed by three more
attempts, each longer than the previous. Inventive bicycle
shop mechanics made history. The Aviation Age had begun!
Fast forward from the Wrights to Wilcutt, who, like Wilbur
and Orville, dreamed about flying. Wilcutt said he remembered
standing in the field, playing baseball and hearing the sonic
booms. He said, “I would look up and see what looked
to be a silvery jet high overhead leaving a contrail and would
think to myself that flying that jet just must be the most
exciting job in the world."
“Of
course,” he continued, “I had absolutely no idea
how to become a jet pilot or that I would actually fly even
higher and faster.”
To see his dream come true, Wilcutt said education was and
is the key that unlocks the door when opportunity presents
itself. After graduating from WKU in 1974, he taught high
school math for a couple of years. In 1976, he entered the
Marine Corp and earned his wings two years later. Over time,
he attended the Naval Fighter Weapons Schools (Topgun) and
the United States Naval Test Pilot School, where he earned
the title “Distinguished Graduate.” Wilcutt was
then assigned as a test pilot/project officer for Strike Aircraft
Test Directorate at the Naval Aircraft Test Center. While
assigned there, he flew the F/A-18 Hornet, the A-7 Corsair
II, the F-4 Phantom and a wide variety of other aircraft,
logging over 4,400 flight hours in more than 30 different
aircraft.
Wilcutt was selected by NASA in 1990, and became an astronaut
in July 1991. In addition to many technical and administrative
assignments, he was pilot on STS-68 in 1994 and STS-79 in
’96, and mission commander on STS-89 in ’98 and
STS-106 in ’00. During these four missions, Wilcutt
logged over 1,000 hours in space, and he is not done yet.
He will serve as Crew Commander on STS-116, which is scheduled
for launch next year.
 |
| The
Wright brothers |
In
conclusion, Wilcutt said, “All of us not only feel,
but know, that we stand on the shoulders of those that came
before us. That begins with the Wright Brothers, includes
the early test pilots, early astronauts, and encompasses the
engineers, rocket scientists, and workforce that design, assemble,
and prepare our planes and spacecraft.”
Dr. David D. Lee, Dean of Potter College is the exhibit’s
curator. The Wright Brothers exhibit will be on view at The
Kentucky Museum for one year. Funding was provided by the
Office of the University Provost Action Agenda Funds, the
Kentucky Museum Associates and private donors, with in-kind
support from Qualex Inc. at the Bowling Green Target Store.
Photographs selected for the exhibit are used with permission
from Wright State University.
For more information about the Wright Brothers exhibit, contact
Earlene Chelf (270) 745-5263 or earlene.chelf@wku.edu.
|
