Year: 1924

March 10. Orville is named an officer of the Legion of Honor and is to receive Cross of Officer of the Legion. Katharine is appointed an officer of Instruction Publique.

Notification is made on April 10 by Gen. George Dumont, French military attaché in Washington. Presentation of decoration is by General Dumont in Washington on April 24.

April. University of Dayton Exponent publishes interview with Orville by Carl J. Crane in February. Orville says, "The usefulness of the airplane lies in its speed and facility of locomotion, and not so much in its great size and capacity to carry tremendous loads, for we know today that the efficiency of the airplane decreases as this size increases. I have the most optimistic views, however, that the airplane will find in the near future its real application in the economics of the universe much the same as the steamship and automobile found their value and worthy application."

May 23. Dayton Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers institutes annual award of a medal to be known as "Wright Brothers Medal for Meritorious Achievement in Aeronautics" to be awarded for the presentation of new development in the form of engineering papers.

The papers submitted did not meet the requirements stipulated and no award of the medal was made.

June 3. Orville is elected president of the Dayton Engineers' Club.

June 16. Orville receives honorary doctor of engineering degree from University of Michigan.

July. Orville is elected honorary member of Detroit Aviation society.

July 1. Orville is appointed chairman of the Contest Committee of the National Aeronautic Association at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the association in Dayton.

He was to continue to serve in this capacity for the years 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927.

August 12. Orville, with James M. H. Jacobs, is granted patent No. 1,504,663 for a split flap later used by the U.S. Navy.

The flap was developed in 1920 and the patent applied for May 31, 1921.

September 5. Dayton Chapter of National Aeronautic Association votes to start permanent restoration of original Wright brothers hangar so that the restoration may be completed in time for the International Air races to be held in Dayton, October 2,3, and 4.

October 2, 3, 4. Wright 1903 airplane and engine exhibited at International Air Races in Dayton.

This was the last time the plane was exhibited before shipment to England in February 1928. Orville attends races and serves as chairman of the timing committee for the Pulitzer Race.

October 3. Lt. John Macready circles the flying field in a 15-minute flight in a 1910 Wright model B biplane at a speed of about 45 miles an hour, with Orville and Katharine witnessing the flight from the grandstand. Orville attends the second annual banquet of the National Aeronautic Association.

Orville is among those greeting and congratulating Lts. Smith, Nelson, Wade, Harding, Ogden, and Arnold on arrival in Dayton on return from their round-the-world flight.

October 3-5. Commander and Mrs. Mario Calderara, Col. Frank S. Lahm, and Col. Frank P. Lahm are house guests of Orville and Katharine at their Hawthorn Hill home.

October 23-25. Orville and Katharine are guests of Frank P. Lahm at Akron Club in Akron, Ohio.

November 1. Orville accepts invitation to become a vice president of a proposed National Museum of Engineering and Industry, which is undertaking to raise a national endowment of $10,000,000 for a building to be erected on the mall in Washington that would house an Inventors and Engineers Hall of Fame.

November 14. Orville attends dinner given by the Canton Chapter, National Aeronautic Association, in honor of Frank S. Lahm.

December 13. Orville attends annual banquet of the Indiana Society of Chicago.

December 16. In brief message to London Daily Mail Orville recalls some achievements of the airplane since pioneer days.

December 17. Board of Governors of National Aeronautic Association elects Wilbur, Orville, and Katharine honorary members of the Association, the first such memberships conferred to this date.