DAYTON Transport yourself at flight festivities

Allow an entire day to see the Air Force Museum.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
DAYTON -- Local officials have made it very convenient to enjoy this summer's centennial of flight celebration by providing free park-and-ride sites, extensive free shuttle bus routes and schedules, and easy-to-read maps of the area.
The shuttle buses from the four park-and-ride locations will go to Deeds Point in downtown Dayton -- the headquarters of the Inventing Flight celebration, which runs from July 3-20. Information on this observance is available at www.inventingflight.com.
From Deeds Point, other free shuttle buses will go to the Wright Cycle Shop, the home of author Paul Laurence Dunbar, and the Air Force Museum, with a connecting shuttle to Carillon Historical Park.
Free shuttle trolleys go from the Air Force Museum to the Wright Memorial, which overlooks Huffman Prairie, where the Wright brothers operated a flight school, and to the prairie itself.
Cyclist-friendly
Those who enjoy bicycling will find Dayton very cyclist-friendly, with an extensive network of bicycle trails following the Great Miami, Mad and Stillwater rivers and Wolf Creek into the city's downtown area.
All city buses and electric trolleys have front bike racks, and cyclists and their bikes ride these buses and trolleys free in June, July and August on all routes.
Perhaps the most spectacular single event associated with the 17-day celebration will be the air show at Dayton International Airport, July 17-20. The air show will feature what is billed as "an unprecedented joint appearance" by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Navy Blue Angels and Canadian Forces Snowbirds military jet teams.
Air Force Museum
Visitors should plan on using an entire day to see the U.S. Air Force Museum, which occupies four hangars and an outdoor display area and calls itself "the largest and oldest military aviation museum in the world."
Because the museum displays more than 300 aircraft and missiles spanning the history of flight from the Wright brothers to stealth technology, taking the guided tour focusing on the major aircraft is highly recommended.
Those wishing to take the popular presidential aircraft hangar tour should sign up as soon as the museum opens at 9 a.m., and make an appointment for a specific departure time that day.
Because the presidential hangar is on the grounds of the adjacent Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, a photo ID, such as a driver's license, is required to board the free shuttle buses going to that hangar.
Visitors may board planes used by Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman and the plane that flew President John F. Kennedy's body back to Washington after he was assassinated in Dallas. Air Force Museum admission and tours are free.
Carillon
Another site that requires a major time commitment is Carillon Historical Park, a collection of historical buildings that has been moved to the park grounds. Visitors should allow at least two hours to see the park, whose Wright Hall contains an original 1905 Wright flyer.
Other exhibits at the park include a canal lock, railroad roundhouse and antique cars and bicycles. Carillon concerts are at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The park is closed Mondays.