Aviation enthusiasts throughout the region are invited to join Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport in honoring National Aviation Day on Wednesday, August 19.

“While we’re not hosting an event this year, airport and aviation supporters are invited to drop by the airport administration office inside the main terminal building to pick up airport swag to celebrate the day,” said Airport Director Jeremy Keating. “For those of us who work at airports and live it every day, aviation is our passion. We want to continue to share some of that excitement with the local community.”

The Airport Administrative Office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday inside the John R. Hastings Memorial Terminal, 2550 Laughlin View Drive. Airport swag is available while supplies last. For additional information, call the Airport Administrative Office at 928-754-2134.

“National Aviation Day is proclaimed by the (U.S.) President every year to recognize the aviation industry — to celebrate the history and the future of aviation,” Keating said.  

President Franklin Roosevelt created National Aviation Day in 1939 as a way to celebrate the growth of and advancements in aviation and is celebrated every year on Orville Wright’s birthday, August 19. 

“The Wright brothers made aviation history in 1903 by successfully flying an aircraft with controllers used to help navigate the plane,“ Keating said. Though the airplane was only in the air for a total of 12 seconds and flew a distance of only 120 feet, the Wright brothers’ experiments with fixed flight wings led to the creation of commercial and military aircraft.

Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport serves the Tri-state, as well as surrounding areas including Kingman and Lake Havasu City. It is one of the busiest non-metropolitan passenger airports in Arizona and Nevada.