Happy Birthday Orville! - Curt Lewis

Airports, airlines mark National Aviation Day with activities and tours

American Airlines will be giving special behind-the-scenes

Friday, Aug. 19, is not only Orville Wright's birthday, it's National Aviation Day, established in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to celebrate and commemorate the history and development of aviation in America.

NASA has some ideas on how you can mark the day, as do the people who will be gathering tomorrow at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina, at the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in Ohio, and at the many other national parks around the country with aviation connections.

On Friday there will be also be activities honoring National Aviation Day in a number of airports around the country.

From 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Miami International Airport is inviting travelers to experience what it feels like to be a pilot instead of just a passenger by offering complimentary rides in two flight simulators on loan from Miami Dade College's Eig-Watson School of Aviation.

The airport will also be offering a variety of fun and educational aviation-themed activities and handing out paper airplanes and other treats.

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is celebrating National Aviation Day with a Queen City classic.

Between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., 2,000 passengers arriving at CVG will receive a complimentary Cheese Coney - a hot dog in a steamed bun topped with mustard, chili, onions and shredded cheddar cheese - courtesy of Skyline Chili. Passengers will also be able to pick up aviation-themed giveaways such as pilot's wings, toy airplanes and bag tags, and take selfies with a variety of fun props.

In 11 of its hubs and facilities around the country - including Dallas/Fort Worth, Tulsa, Miami, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Los Angeles - and in London, American Airlines will be giving special behind-the-scenes tours of its facilities to lucky ticket holders invited by AirlineGeeks.com, a website popular with aviation enthusiasts that was founded in 2013 by "AvGeek" Ryan Ewing, who is now 16 years old.

Each location will be offering different activities and providing meet-ups with special guests. At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, for example, participants will tour the American Airlines facilities, get to see how bags are handled, have lunch with the Chief Pilot and tour the hub control center, said American Airlines spokesman Kent Powell.

There will be souvenirs and T-shirts for each #AAviationDay participant, "and there may be some surprises along the way," said AirlineGeeks.com founder Ryan Ewing, who is already making plans for next year's National Aviation Day event.