Historic Flight Foundation event to discuss 1911 transcontinental flight

Published 8:09 pm Thursday, December 1, 2011

MUKILTEO — Think cross-country air travel is uncomfortable now?

Just be glad you weren’t flying a century ago.

The first transcontinental flight across the U.S. took 82 flight hours and 84 days. There were crash landings, broken bones and mechanical failures.

But at the end, the pilot was greeted by a screaming crowd of 20,000 spectators.

Aviation historian and author Mike Lavelle plans to recount that harrowing 1911 journey at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Historic Flight Foundation in Mukilteo.

Naval aviator Cal Rogers set out to make history and win a $50,000 prize by making the east-to-west coast, 4,000-mile flight. He was flying a Wright Model B called the Vin Fiz.

His flight came just eight years after the first powered flight at Kittyhawk, N.C.

The presentation is included in the price of admission: $12 for adults, $10 for seniors or military, $8 for youth 5-15, and free younger than 5. Drop-ins are welcome but an RSVP will ensure adequate refreshments for all.

For more information, call 425-348-3200.

Debra Smith: 425-339-3197; dsmith@heraldnet.com.