If you haven't already done so, clear your calendar so you can attend the Deaf Pilots Association's 10th annual fly-in July 14-20 at Dayton, Ohio, at the height of the Wright Brothers' hometown's summer-long centenary celebration of the brothers' first sustained powered flight.

Chairperson Becky Center and co-chairperson Cathy Roach have assembled another exciting week of events for us, including a visit to the Wrights' grave, a jaunt to the U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, rides in a Wright Model B replica and in a Waco biplane, an air show, glider rides, and flying, flying, flying.

In your free time you can also visit the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, whose centerpiece is the old Wright Cycle Shop in downtown Dayton. The Dayton Art Insti-ute will be exhibiting many never-before-seen original Wright photographs. There will also be a "celebration central" in downtown Dayton featuring special pavilions paying homage to the Wright brothers and the events they set in motion. There's even a special children's area.

(Visit www.inventingflight.com on the Web for more about the Dayton area aviation attractions. And see www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/index.htm for great photos and information from the Air Force Museum.)

Our headquarters motel is the Dayton South Quality Inn, 1944 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Dayton, OH 45459. (See Reservations information.) The motel is very close to the intersection of Interstate 75 and Interstate 675. Those coming from Dayton International Airport should take I-70 east to I-75, then I-75 south to Exit 44, Miamisburg-Centerville Road, and proceed east to the motel. (Those driving from elsewhere can follow the same directions from I-75.)

Our headquarters airport is Moraine Air Park (I73), 3800 Clearview Ave., Moraine, OH 45349. To get to the airport from the Quality Inn, drive west on Rt. 725, then turn north on I-75. Get off at Exit 47, then turn north on Rt. 741 (Springboro Rd.) and turn west on Main St (the old Sellers Rd.), crossing the Miami River, then turn south on Elter Dr., and finally turn west again on Clearview Ave. to the airport. It's right on a deep bend of the Miami River and hard to miss, either from the ground or the air.

Moraine Air Park on Ohio's Miami River is a breeze for pilots to spot from the air.

Those flying their own or rented aircraft into Moraine Air Park should know that the FBO has agreed to waive parking fees for DPA aircraft for the duration of the fly-in. The Quality Inn will pick up and deliver guests at Moraine Sky Park, but it is not a 24-hour service and and must be arranged well in advance.

Here is the tentative day-by-day schedule of the fly-in:

Sunday, July 13

All day we'll be hanging around Moraine Air Park welcoming those flying their own or rented aircraft to the fly-in. From 5 to 8 p.m. there'll be a free wine, beer and cheese welcome party at the Dayton South Quality Inn.

From 8 to 10 p.m. the DPA board will hold its annual meeting at the Quality Inn. All members are welcome.

Monday, July 14

We'll start off our activities by driving our cars to the Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum, 118 Woodland Avenue, Dayton, where from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. we will place a wreath on the graves of Orville and Wilbur Wright. The cemetery is 11 miles from the Quality Inn, about a 15-minute drive.

    
On Monday, July 14, we'll begin our activities by placing a wreath on the graves of aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright.

Then we'll visit the U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, about 20 miles northeast of the Quality Inn, a 30-minute drive. Interpreters will be waiting for us at 10 a.m. There we can see an example of just about all the aircraft in the Air Force inventory from the earliest days of the U.S. Army Flying Corps to the very latest supersonic jets.

On Monday, we'll also visit the Air Force Museum, where we can see this Boeing P-6E.

We'll leave the museum at 4 p.m. and drive to the Moraine Air Park clubhouse for a pizza party beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m.

Tuesday, July 15

Early in the morning we'll drive and fly to Red Stewart Airfield (40I) at 4952 N. State Route 42, Waynesville, about 30 minutes southeast of the Quality Inn. There we've reserved a glider at 8 a.m. for rides ($55 per person; weight limit 220 pounds). We can also have aerobatic rides ($55), as well as biplane ($55) and airplane rides ($20). Stewart is a very pretty turf strip with a definite grassroots ambience, and has taildraggers for rent.

We'll be on our own for lunch, then we'll drive or fly to the Dayton-Wright Brothers airport, where from 2:30 p.m. to closing time, we'll see and ride the 1911 Wright Model B Flyer, a replica of the world's first mass-produced airplane. Each 15-minute ride costs $150 per person, and for that you also get a certificate of flight and a designer tie or scarf featuring the Model B.

The Model B is kept in a special hangar built to resemble the original Wright hangar at Huffman Prairie, where the Wrights performed many of their experiments before and after the famous first flight of 1903. It's part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport is just a few miles south from the Quality Inn on Rt. 741 between Rt. 725 and Rt. 73.

We'll be on our own for dinner at several of the many restaurants in the area.

Wednesday, July 16

From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Martha Lunken of the FAA will host a safety seminar, this one about airspace, in at Moraine Air Park.

After lunch at the Moraine Air Park clubhouse, from 1 to 5 p.m. we'll have our annual flying contest at Moraine Air Park. Details will be posted later.

During the contest, Darrell Montgomery will give rides in his Waco at Moraine Air Park. The rate is $75 for two passengers for 15 to 20 minutes. Find out what it's like to ride in an open-cockpit biplane!

At 6 p.m., we'll enjoy a cookout at Moraine Air Park.

Thursday, July 17

The Deaf Pilots Association General Membership Meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at Moraine Airport.

We'll be on our own for lunch, and in the afternoon, we'll have a fly-out—details to be announced later.

We'll be on our own for dinner.

Friday, July 18

From 9 a.m to 3 or 4 p.m., we'll see the United States Air and Trade Show at Dayton International Airport, just a 30-minute drive from the Quality Inn. At this writing we are looking into plans to ride there and back in a bus, but we may instead depend on cars. (Dayton is a busy Class C airport and is unlikely to permit no-radio operations during the show.) Featured in the show are no fewer than three famed military aerobatic teams: the Navy's Blue Angels, the Air Force's Thunderbirds, and the Royal Canadian Air Force's Snowbirds.

We'll see the Navy's Blue Angels at the Dayton Air Show.

It's banquet night! From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. there'll be a cash bar with hors d'oeuvres at Alex's Continental Restaurant, 125 Monarch Lane, Miamisburg, followed by a delicious dinner there from 6 p.m. to midnight, along with awards and presentations. Be sure to choose your entrée and send in the reservation sheet by July 1.

Saturday, July 19

We'll either have a fly-out or give our members a free day to explore Dayton's aviation history. There'll be a swimming pool party at the Quality Inn, followed by dinner on our own.

Sunday, July 20

Time to go home! We'll say our farewells at breakfast at the motel.

Quality Inn information

Our headquarters, the Dayton South Quality Inn, lies about 14 miles south of Dayton International Airport, which is served by most of the big airlines—American, United, Continental, Delta and Northwest among them. (Driving instructions from the airport are above.)

We have reserved 50 rooms at the Quality Inn for DPA members and associates for $58 per night, and the price is good for 10 days prior to or 10 days past the July 14-20 fly-in period. The rate includes complimentary continental breakfast, complimentary in-room coffee service, complimentary local calls and credit card access, cable TV with HBO and pay-per-view, and an outdoor pool and patio. A TTY will be available for use at the reception desk.

You must make your reservations at the Quality Inn by July 3. To reserve your room, call 937-435-1550 or fax 937-438-1878. The Quality Inn will pick up and deliver guests at Moraine Air Park for $15 each way. There is no 24-hour service—arrangements must be made in advance by calling the Inn.

Aircraft rentals

At Moraine Air Park, three Cessna 152s ($52 per hour wet) and three Cessna 172s ($64) are for rent. Instructors are $22 per hour. Reserve your aircraft by calling 937-866-2489, fax 937-866-9472, or e-mailing moraineairpark@msn.com.

GW Aviation at Greene County Airport (I19), Xenia, Ohio, offers a Cessna 150 for $50 an hour wet and a Cessna 172 for $65. Call 937-374-2650, fax 937-374-2709 or e-mail Steve Bexter at Steve9702@hotmail.com.

Miami Valley Aviation at Hook Municipal Airport (MWO), Middletown, Ohio, has two Cessna 172s for $57 an hour and a 172RG for $69 an hour. Instructors are $23. Call 800- 533-2800, 513-422-5050, fax 513-422-1494, or see the Web site at www.flymva.com.

At Philipsburg Airport (3I7), Philipsburg, Ohio, Philipsburg Aviation has a single Cessna 172 for rent at $60. An instructor is $23. Phone 937-884-9795.

Dayton Wright Brothers Airport (MGY) at Miamisburg, Ohio, has four Cessna 152s for $57 and four Cessna 172s for $74. Instructors are $29. Phone 937-885-3662, 800-801- 3662, or fax 937-885-3118.

At Lebanon, Ohio, Warren County Airport (I68) offers a Cessna 150 ($52), a Cessna 172 ($67), a Piper Cherokee 180 ($73) and a Piper Warrior 160 ($75). Instructors are $29. Call Brian Carr 513-732-7966.

Stewart's Aircraft Service at Waynesville (40I) has these aircraft for rent: Piper Cub, $41; Aeronca Champ, $41; Cessna 150, $43; Cessna 172, $53; Decathlon, $90; Taylorcraft, $41; Piper Arrow, $80; Stearman, $120; Pitts S-2C, $228, and Schweizer 2-22 glider, $32. Instruction is $25 per hour. (It looks like a good opportunity to get in a little taildragger time in the Cub, Champ or Taylorcraft.) Call 513-897-7717 or e-mail taildragger@go-concepts.com.

See you there. Be sure to fill out and send in your registration form, with your check or money order, and if you haven't yet paid your 2003 dues, do so now!