Update of December 21, 2019 -
See the Event Page, on this website for a report on the event, plus photos.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
116th Anniversary of Powered Flight Celebration
Engineers Club of Dayton, 110 East Monument Ave. Dayton, OH 45402
Reception at 6:00; Dinner at 6:30; Program at 7:00
Aviation Trail Inc.’s annual celebration of the Anniversary of Powered Flight will feature Brigadier General Paul Cooper (retired) presenting the topic of “Aviation in the Roaring 20’s”.
As described by General Cooper: “Following the tremendous efforts of the Wright Brothers to create the first successful aircraft, many other inventors followed their lead. The sky was seen as the new frontier. In World War I the airplane was recognized as not just a toy, but with many practicable uses. In the 1920s, aviation made rapid strides as the public became air minded. New companies were formed to manufacture aircraft and fly air mail and people. Barnstormers and Hollywood films highlighted the public’s fascination with flying. Aircraft evolved from the open cockpit, fabric covered bi-wing aircraft to the passenger aircraft that we are familiar with today. The Roaring 20’s was an exciting time in the evolution of aviation”.
Brigadier General Paul R. Cooper retired in 2002 as commander of the Air Force Reserve’s 445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He completed almost 35 years of military service with the United States Air Force and the Air Force Reserve. He is past President of the University of Dayton’s senior Life Long Learning Institute and moderates courses in history and airpower. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Air Force Museum Foundation and conducts frequent tours as a docent. He has held a variety of key staff positions including chief of staff at two numbered air forces and has commanded three different air bases. Recalled to active duty during Operation Desert Storm, he commanded a C-130 unit that deployed to the Middle East for six months. He was later selected to return to extended active duty in 1996 after the Dayton Peace Accords to command Tuzla NATO Air Base in Bosnia. He is a command pilot with over 12,000 flying hours in jet aircraft. His numerous decorations include: the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, 3 Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star, and 3 Air Medals.
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