The factory where the Wright Brothers built their original plane will produce another airplane soon - a new replica of the Wright-B Flyer is scheduled to take flight in 2016.
The announcement came from Jay Jabour—president of Wright “B” Flyer, Inc. standing just outside the Wright Company factory in Dayton.
Jabour told the attending press, “The opportunity to build a look-a-like of the 1911 airplane in the original 1911 factory is really exciting.”
The Flyer will replace the one aviation crowds have seen since it was built 1982, and will be up to current flight and safety codes
The former Delphi plant where the original Wright factory is located still needs some cleanup. But Amanda Wright-Lane –the great grand niece of Orville and Wilbur Wright—says she’s hopeful about the redevelopment.
"As part of the larger campus we hope to attract a tech company, so they’ll also be opportunity to enjoy some of Dayton’s Wright history but also be a working campus where there will be job opportunities," she said.
The National Aviation Heritage Alliance has been working toward the goal of getting the Home Road facility and several surrounding acres developed as part of the national park system for several years. They partnered with Wright “B” Flyer Inc. and with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to complete the project. EAA volunteers will build the aircraft.
The new Wright “B” Flyer should be airborne by the end of 2016 but it's likely Dayton residents will see it in the 2017 Dayton Air Show.
