Stafford Regional Airport unveiled an exact reproduction of Samuel Pierpont Langley’s Aerodrome No. 5 at a viewing event inside the terminal on Monday, May 6.

Aerodrome No. 5 was one of several experimental aircraft developed by Langley in the mid-1890s to demonstrate heavier-than-air mechanical flight. Powered by a 1.5 hp steam-powered engine, the unmanned aerodrome weighed just over 24 pounds and flew 3,330 feet over one minute and 30 seconds on May 6, 1896, in Stafford County.

Over the past 16 months, KipAero of Dallas, Texas, constructed the aerodrome reproduction in its original May 1896 configuration following detailed measurements of the original Aerodrome No. 5 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The Langley Flight Foundation and KipAero hope to flight test a second reproduction in the future.

The project was made possible through a public/private partnership among Stafford County, the Langley Flight Foundation, the Stafford County Historical Society, the Stafford Regional Airport, and private donors. The aircraft will be on permanent display at the airport, along with interactive kiosks with educational programming on the science and history of flight.

The foundation is hosting a community open house May 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Stafford Regional Airport with aviation activities for kids and aerodrome demonstrations every half hour.

Article Provided by: David Halstead, PR & Education Coordinator

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May, 8, 2024