H. C. R. No. 63 As Reported by the House Policy and Legislative Oversight Committee

As Reported by the House Policy and Legislative Oversight Committee

130th General Assembly

Regular Session

2013-2014

H. C. R. No. 63

Representative Perales

Cosponsors: Representatives Rosenberger, Butler, O'Brien, Barborak, Baker, Buchy, Ruhl, Thompson, Adams, R., Brenner, Terhar, Strahorn, Winburn, Bishoff, Damschroder

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To repudiate the claim by the State of Connecticut 1
that Gustave Whitehead successfully flew a 2
powered, heavier than air machine of his own 3
design on August 14, 1901, or on any other date. 4

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE SENATE CONCURRING):

       WHEREAS, From time to time some individuals, publishers, and 5
lawmakers revive the claim that Gustave Whitehead (1874-1927), a 6
resident of Connecticut, made a sustained, powered flight in a 7
heavier than air machine at Bridgeport on August 14, 1901, two 8
years before the Wright brothers of Dayton, Ohio, flew on December 9
17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina; and 10

       WHEREAS, The Governor of Connecticut signed into law on June 11
26, 2013, "an Act Concerning Government Administration"; and 12

       WHEREAS, The law replaces the Wright brothers with Gustave 13
Whitehead as the person to be honored for the first powered flight 14
on Connecticut's Powered Flight Day each year; and 15

       WHEREAS, The law provides no evidence that Gustave Whitehead 16
ever designed, built, and flew a successful powered flying 17
machine; and 18

       WHEREAS, Scholarly research by respected and academically 19
credentialed historians over many decades have found no evidence 20
to substantiate the Whitehead claims; and 21

       WHEREAS, A publicized digital image, purported to be an 22
enhanced copy of a photograph that shows Gustave Whitehead's 1901 23
machine in flight, reveals only indistinct shapes; and 24

       WHEREAS, The North Carolina General Assembly previously 25
repudiated a similar claim in 1985; and 26

       WHEREAS, The states of Ohio and North Carolina share and 27
cherish the legacy of the Wright brothers, who lived and built the 28
first powered airplane in Dayton, Ohio, and made their first 29
powered flight on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North 30
Carolina; and 31

       WHEREAS, The United States National Park Service preserves 32
the factual history of the invention of the airplane and the first 33
powered flights in the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill 34
Devil Hills, North Carolina, and the Dayton Aviation Heritage 35
National Historical Park and the National Aviation Heritage Area 36
in southwestern Ohio; now therefore be it 37

       RESOLVED, That Gustave Whitehead did not fly a powered, 38
heavier than air machine of his own design on August 14, 1901, or 39
on any other date; and be it further 40

       RESOLVED, That the citizens of North Carolina and Ohio invite 41
the citizens of Connecticut to learn the truth about the invention 42
of the airplane and the first powered flights by visiting the 43
Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina and the Dayton 44
Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and the National 45
Aviation Heritage Area in Ohio. 46

WHEREAS, From time to time some individuals, publishers, and	5
lawmakers revive the claim that Gustave Whitehead (1874-1927), a	6
resident of Connecticut, made a sustained, powered flight in a	7
heavier than air machine at Bridgeport on August 14, 1901, two	8
years before the Wright brothers of Dayton, Ohio, flew on December	9
17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina; and	10

WHEREAS, The Governor of Connecticut signed into law on June	11
26, 2013, "an Act Concerning Government Administration"; and	12

WHEREAS, The law replaces the Wright brothers with Gustave	13
Whitehead as the person to be honored for the first powered flight	14
on Connecticut's Powered Flight Day each year; and	15

WHEREAS, The law provides no evidence that Gustave Whitehead	16
ever designed, built, and flew a successful powered flying	17
machine; and	18

WHEREAS, Scholarly research by respected and academically	19
credentialed historians over many decades have found no evidence	20
to substantiate the Whitehead claims; and	21

WHEREAS, A publicized digital image, purported to be an	22
enhanced copy of a photograph that shows Gustave Whitehead's 1901	23
machine in flight, reveals only indistinct shapes; and	24

WHEREAS, The North Carolina General Assembly previously	25
repudiated a similar claim in 1985; and	26

WHEREAS, The states of Ohio and North Carolina share and	27
cherish the legacy of the Wright brothers, who lived and built the	28
first powered airplane in Dayton, Ohio, and made their first	29
powered flight on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North	30
Carolina; and	31

WHEREAS, The United States National Park Service preserves	32
the factual history of the invention of the airplane and the first	33
powered flights in the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill	34
Devil Hills, North Carolina, and the Dayton Aviation Heritage	35
National Historical Park and the National Aviation Heritage Area	36
in southwestern Ohio; now therefore be it	37

RESOLVED, That Gustave Whitehead did not fly a powered,	38
heavier than air machine of his own design on August 14, 1901, or	39
on any other date; and be it further	40

RESOLVED, That the citizens of North Carolina and Ohio invite	41
the citizens of Connecticut to learn the truth about the invention	42
of the airplane and the first powered flights by visiting the	43
Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina and the Dayton	44
Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and the National	45
Aviation Heritage Area in Ohio.	46