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Happy Pan American Aviation Day! #OnThisDay in 1903, the Wright brothers successfully flew a heavier-than-air, mechanically propelled and piloted aircraft at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. In 1940, following years of significant advancements in aviation, President Franklin D. Roosevelt honored the Wright brothers’ early achievement by issuing a proclamation designating December 17th as Pan American Aviation Day. This commemoration encourages citizens from North, Central, and South America to increase their interest in aviation. Image: Wright brothers first flight, 1903. SFO Museum Collection. Gift Rare Birds Collection. 2006.037.165.009 This image was posted on December 17, 2017.