The Centennial of Flight Commemoration Act, as amended, specifies five of the six Commission members, namely the Director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum (NASM), the Administrator of NASA, the president of the First Flight Centennial Foundation of North Carolina, the chairman of the 2003 Committee of Ohio (subsequently renamed Inventing Flight), and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Act further specifies that the Commission shall select a Chairperson from among the Director of NASM, the Administrator of NASA, or the sixth Commission member (discussed below).

Mr. Donald S. Lopez, Acting Director of the Smithsonian Institution's NASM, was selected by the Commission as Interim Chair in November 1999, and served in that capacity until March 2000.

General J.R. "Jack" Dailey, USMC, Retired, the new Director of NASM, was selected as Chair at the Commission's meeting in March 2000.

General Dailey's career in the Marine Corps spanned thirty-six years and included extensive command and staff experience. He has flown over 6,000 hours in a wide variety of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, including 450 missions during two tours in Vietnam. General Dailey completed his Marine Corps service as Assistant Commandant of the Corps. Following his retirement from the Marine Corps, General Dailey served as the Associate Deputy Administrator of NASA where he led the day-to-day management and operational activities of the Agency.