Article and Photos by Ted Luebbers
Experimental Aircraft Association, Mid- Florida Chapter 534, flew 10 Young Eagles at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, Florida on April 15, 2023.
Young Eagles are children, ages 8 to 17 who come to a local airport with their parents or guardians to experience the wonders of flight. These discovery flights are offered free by local EAA chapters chartered by the EAA National; the parent organization based in Oshkosh WI.
There are over nine hundred of these chapters around the world, but mostly in the United States. They are usually found at local airports such as Leesburg International, but many smaller airports across this country will have EAA chapters also. Some of them are even on grass landing strips
The motivation behind offering these free flights to young people is to hopefully inspire them about the magic and excitement of being able to fly in a small general aviation airplane. The thought is, after they experience these flights, they may wish to become pilots themselves later in life or possibly seek out a career in some area of aerospace.
These flights typically last between 20 to 30 minutes. If the youngster doesn’t live too far from the airport the EAA pilot may fly over their neighborhood so they can see their home from the air.
During each flight if the child is sitting in the right seat, he or she may be asked if they would like to try flying the plane. If they say yes, the pilot will instruct them what to do and give them the controls. There is very little wrong the youngster could do that the watchful EAA pilot couldn’t immediately correct.
It’s interesting to see the smiles and excitement the kids display after they deplane and rejoin their parents. Some of them enjoy the experience so much they continually show up every time a chapter holds a Young Eagle Rally.
Those are the kids that EAA Chapter 534 will keep a close eye on as they may become good candidates for their aviation youth program, Squadron 534.
After each flight is completed, the Young Eagle will receive a certificate commemorating the flight and an official log book, both signed by their pilot.
Additional free perks these young people will get by taking part in the aviation rally will be a Sporty’s online Learn to Fly Course, and a free flight lesson. They also get free access to over 300 science and technology museums and student membership to the Academy of Model Aeronautics.
If they become active in the chapter’s aviation youth program, they may compete for an annual $ 11,000 Ray Aviation Scholarship they can use for flight training at a flight school of their choice.
If you want to find out more about the Young Eagle flight program you may go to < www.youngeagles.org >
To date EAA Chapter 534 has been able to award four Ray Scholarships and have qualified by EAA National to award another in 2023.
On this day three Chapter 534 pilots volunteered their time, fuel and personal fixed-wing, single-engine planes. In addition, the chapter provided 12 ground volunteers helping with registration, guiding kids and parents to the ramp and others to explain aircraft building projects going on in the hangar.
Prior to the Young Eagle flights a plane was pulled up in front of the hangar and Nick Hopkins, one of the chapter’s Ray Scholarship recipients, demonstrated to the Young Eagles how to do a pre-flight.
If you want more information about EAA Mid Florida Chapter 534 or EAA National you may go to the following websites,
< www.eaachapter534.org > or , < www.eaa.org >.
