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2.
In concluding his precisely 8 minutes of remarks, Kelly stated that "To the best of my knowledge not one American design ever got into the first air war of history. In fact, it took the Wright Brothers 6 years to interest our government in their airplane. A period which hasn't changed a great deal for new ideas in over seventy years---Let's be a lot more careful of what we do to this country -- It's the only one we will ever have."

Five days later on December 17, 1975, continuing another long-established tradition, Major General Leigh Wade, Mackay Trophy recipient for his 1924 historic around the world flight and a 1974 inductee into the Aviation Hall of Fame, led this year's NAA delegation to the Kitty Hawk Monument grounds where man first experienced the thrill of powered flight 72 years previously. Among the honored guests in the 16 member-NAA party were Paul Garber, Historian Emeritus of the National Air and Space Museum, A. Scott Crossfield, X-15 test pilot and 1961 Robert J. Collier Trophy recipient, and Cliff Henderson, Founder and Manager of the Los Angeles Airport and famed Director of the Cleveland, Bendix and Thompson Trophy Air races of the early 1930's.

William M. Magruder, Executive Vice President of Piedmont Airlines and formerly Director of the U.S. Supersonic Transport program, was the principal speaker at the luncheon which featured the induction of aviation pioneer, Calbraith P. Rodgers- the first to fly coast to coast (1911) into the First Flight Shrine.

As in past years, the event was co-sponsored with NAA by the Air Force Association, The First Flight Society, and the National Park Service. Air Force Project Officer for the pilgrimage was Col. Don Zurawski, Director of Information, Headquarters Command, USAF. 

Two model rocketry world record claims have been filled by U.S. rocketeers during the month of November. Chris Flanigan, of Massachusetts, on November 11th, claimed a new Eagle Class Boost-Glide Duration record of 45 minutes, 17 seconds, eclipsing the existing record of 10 minutes, 3 seconds held by Desimin Kacavenda of Yugoslavia. Donald Larson, at Camp A.P. Hill, Virginia, on 29 November claimed a new Class III Altitude record of 3,612 feet. This performance is significantly better than the existing record of 1,781 feet held by Ioan Radu of Romania. 

During 20-21 November, Don Cameron, a well-known British balloon manufacturer, has claimed a new hot air balloon duration record in the AX-10 (unlimited) category at 18 hours, 56 minutes. This performance, when fully certified by the FAI, will replace the current official record of 16 hours, 16 minutes held by Matt Wiederkehr, of St. Paul, Minn., set on March 7, 1974.

A USSR women's parachute team on November 27th, by a narrow margin, has set a new world record for the fastest forming of a 10-woman star at 33.8 seconds. The record was held by a USA women's team which achieved the 10-woman star in 34.2 seconds at Issaquah, Washington.