We Use Aviation To Inspire Youth Toward Science, Math And Technology Education
Young Eagles
Our chapter has participated in the Young Eagles program since its inception in 1992. We give young people from 8 to 17 years old a flight in an airplane. For most of our Young Eagles it is the first flight they have ever had in a small airplane. As they grow many Young Eagles report their first flight in a small plane as being a significant experience in their lives and for some even a turning point.
Harrison Ford was the honorary chairman of Young Eagles through 2009 and has personally flown about 300 kids. We now have two co-chairmen of Young Eagles. They are world famous for having landed an Airbus A320 in the Hudson River. Sully Sullenberger and Jeff Skiles have enthusiastically enbraced the roll of leading this program.
The program originally had the goal of flying 1 million youth by the 100 year anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight which was December 17, 1903. We surpassed that goal before the anniversary and now have recorded over 1.5 million Young Eagles flights.
We work with schools, churches, and a wide variety of youth organizations to coordinate group experiences for Young Eagles flights. If you would like to make arrangements for a Young Eagles event send an e-mail to YoungEagles@eaa.cc with information about the group you are involved with. Be sure to include a variety of ways to contact you. Our Young Eagles coordinator will contact you with more information.
If you are not involved with a group, you are welcome to come out when we are having a Young Eagles rally. We encourage families to come out together as this is a great family environment. A parent must be present to sign a permission form. Check on the home page on this website to find the date of our next Young Eagles rally. We regularly have rallies on the second Saturday of February, March, April, May, June, October and November. You should arrive between 8:00 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. We begin with a ground school at 8:30 a.m. and start flying around 9:00 a.m. We are usually done by 11:00 a.m.
More information about the national program can be found at www.YoungEagles.org.
The following photos are from some of our Young Eagles events.
