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North Carolina Flag Bearer

Charles H. Stites

Introduction

North Carolina flag bearer Charles H. Stites flies his restored 1949 Ryan Navion out of the Sanford Lee County Regional Airport (TTA) near Sanford, NC. A lifelong NC resident, he has been a pilot for over 20 years, and is Field Editor of Private Pilot Magazine, a national aviation publication.

“My work with the magazine takes me throughout the US, and brings me into contact with some of the best people this country has to offer, the people of aviation. Young and old, women and men, flying J-3s to jets, they are passionate about the privilege and wonder of flight. I am constantly reminded that, as pilots, we view our ability to fly as a cherished freedom, a freedom mirroring the many others we enjoy in America. For me, it is a singular honor to be chosen to represent North Carolina, the birthplace of powered flight, and, along with pilots from all fifty states, to be chosen to play a role in honoring the heroism and sacrifice of those affected by the tragic events of September 11, 2001.”

During the weeks leading up to the honor flight down the Hudson, and the presentation of the state flags aboard the Intrepid, Stites will receive the official flag of North Carolina from Governor Easley in a ceremony at the NC State Capitol, and will participate in a number of television and newspaper interviews at airports throughout the state. To help commemorate the freedom of flight, his official departure for New York will be from the First Flight Airport at Kitty Hawk.

Accompanying Stites will be his wife, Sue Stites, a teacher at Chapel Hill High School, and a frequent companion on many flights. They plan to depart their home airport on September the 4th, with a brief stop for a media event at Raleigh-Durham International, and then an overnight stay at the Manteo Airport before their official departure from the First Flight Airport at Kill Devil Hills (Kitty Hawk) the following day. From there, they will join other flag bearers for the memorials in Somerset, PA and at the Pentagon before arriving in Caldwell, NJ.

“I want to commend Molly Peebles, Kirk Kleinholz and all of the other volunteers of the Flight Across America for their vision and their generous gift of time in a noble undertaking. I’d also like to commend my fellow flag bearers, and Sue and I look forward to sharing with them the historic procession of aircraft down the Hudson, and the flag ceremony on the Intrepid. I also wish to acknowledge the Aviation Division of the North Carolina DOT, and Dan Swanson of Sanford Aircraft Services for their assistance in publicizing and supporting the flight. And a special thanks to Private Pilot Magazine and Custom Planes Magazine for their sponsorship of the flight.”

Last Updated: 08/09/02. Copyright © 2002 Flight Across America