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The
Young Eagles
Program
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Young Eagles
Flights
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Events
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The Young Eagles Mission
The mission of the National EAA Aviation Foundation's Young Eagle's Program
is to provide a meaningful flight experience for 1 million young people
(primarily between the ages of 8 and 17) by the year 2003 - the 100th
anniversary of the Wright brothers' first powered flight at Kitty Hawk - and the
50th anniversary of the EAA.
Background
In 1991 the EAA Aviation Foundation conducted a survey of
long-time members to help determine the organizations future priorities.
Nearly 92 percent said EAA's primary objective should be to involve more young
people in aviation. In 1992 the Young Eagles program was launched.
Academy Award winning actor and pilot Cliff Robertson served as
the program's first Honorary Chairman and was followed by Brig. Gen. Chuck
Yeager, the first person to break the sound barrier. Since the program was launched, more than
1,000,000 young people
have experienced a Young Eagle flight!
 On
March 8, 2005, Harrison Ford, best known as a
renowned actor in more than
three dozen films but also an extremely active pilot and member
of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), was introduced
as the new Chairman of the EAA Young Eagles Program.
During a welcoming program at Van Nuys, Calif., with EAA
President Tom Poberezny, Ford accepted the chairmanship of the
program, saying, "It's daunting to step into General
Yeager's shoes, but aviation is about learning new skills and
the satisfaction that comes with practicing them and doing
better."
Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager, who has served as Young Eagles Chairman
since 1994, has been named the program's Chairman Emeritus and
will continue to participate as one of more than 35,000
volunteer pilots who have been involved since Young Eagles was
founded.
"Harrison Ford's passion for flight has grown through the
years, as he has achieved several pilot certificates and
ratings, and made aviation a major part of his life,"
Poberezny said. "He discovered Young Eagles on his own
several years ago and quietly started flying young people. He
now has flown 81 Young Eagles. He is a natural fit to help lead
us to even greater achievements as EAA members prepare the next
generation of aviators."
The Young Eagles Program's original goal of flying 1 million
young people ages 8-17 was reached in October 2003, when
15-year-old Andrew Grant of German Valley, Ill., was flown by
EAA member Rick Ellis. The one-to-one outreach between pilot and
youngster was part of what attracted Ford to the program.
"Young Eagles gives kids a view of the world they've never
seen before," Ford said. "Each Young Eagle flight is
an opportunity to excite kids by sharing your passion for flight
and to show them that they, too, can learn the skills to
participate in aviation."
Ford actually began flight training as a college student in the
1960s, but then put his training on hold until he rediscovered
it in the early 1990s. He has since earned ratings in rotorcraft
and tailwheel aircraft. He has been an EAA member since the
mid-1990s and a member of a local EAA Chapter near his home.
Since those first
flights in 1992, Young Eagles flights have taken place on every
continent except Antarctica and in aircraft ranging from
business jets to blimps. Each year, EAA receives numerous
reports of young people who have been inspired to pursue
aviation as a career or as recreation because of their Young
Eagles flights. Many of those early Young Eagles are now
introducing flight to other Young Eagles as well. Every major
university aviation program and all U.S. military academies also
have current students who were inspired by a Young Eagles
flight.
"As we launch the second century of powered flight, Young
Eagles will also reach for new horizons," Poberezny said.
"We have seen the impact that this program has made on
young people, whether or not they pursue aviation. That inspires
us to do even more."
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Objectives
The Young Eagles Program hopes to achieve a number of objectives.
They include:
 | Encourage young people to become interested in flying. |
| Provide young people with an opportunity to gain new perspectives on their
community, their lives and the world in which they live. |
| Raise awareness of aviation career possibilities. |
| Help young people understand the knowledge necessary to become a pilot. |
| Respond to concerns that the nation's pool of pilots is growing smaller
because of fewer new pilot starts and the number of pilots who are growing
older - a situation that could cause a shortage of military and commercial
pilots by the year 2000.
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A Typical Young Eagle Rally
The members of the Flyin' Bears are in the initial stages of formulating a
Young Eagle program for the New Bern area. Based on the experience of
other EAA Chapters, the program has been an enthusiastic success with just under
half a million participants in the program to date. Young Eagle
flights take place in a wide variety of aircraft types and sizes. Flights
are in an aircraft that carries from one to three passengers.
Flights usually last approximately 20 minutes. Flights will occasionally
stop at other area airports so kids in larger airplanes can exchange seats so
that all get a chance to ride up front. Parents will get to meet with
their child's pilot before the flight, and accompany their child out onto the
ramp while boarding the airplane.
Once in the air, the Young Eagle will get a chance to take the controls of
the aircraft if desired. The pilot will guide the Young Eagle through
simple turns, climbs, and descents.
After your flight we will take your picture along with your pilot in front of
the aircraft, and award you with a set of gold aviator pilot wings to
wear.
We will also present you with a certificate
suitable for framing to commemorate the experience.
Benefits of Becoming a Young
Eagle
| Each Young Eagle participant will become a member of "Eagle
Flight." They will know the exhilaration and freedom of
flight, as shared by a dedicated pilot whose life has been positively
influenced by aviation. A Young Eagle will also come to see and
understand - as through the eyes of an eagle - that the true potential of
life lies beyond everyday surroundings and may be reached through the
pursuit of high personal goals. |
| Every Young Eagle is entered into the "World's Largest Logbook"
maintained at the EAA Air Adventure Museum located in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin. These names are kept for perpetuity alongside the names of
aviation's greatest, such as the Wright brothers, Charles Lindbergh, and
many more. Each member will also find the date the flight took place, the
type of aircraft and the name of the pilot who shared this
experience. This logbook is also maintained on-line on the national
Young Eagles website. |
| A special complimentary issue of EAA's exciting Sport Aviation For Kids
magazine will be mailed to each new Young Eagle. Additional
information allows young readers to discover more about the exciting and
educational world of aviation.
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More Information
Please contact our Young Eagles Program coordinators for further
information on this exciting program.
PARENTS and ORGANIZATION GROUP LEADERS:
To answer any additional questions, or to discuss a private rally for your
organization please contact our Young Eagle Coordinators listed below.
Young Eagle Contact Information
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Coordinator
Jay Figueroa
Telephone
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Electronic Mail
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| 252-349-2022 |
jfigueroa@cconnect.net |
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The Young Eagles Program is intended to help young people
understand the important role aviation plays in our daily lives and, at the same
time, provide insight into how an airplane flies, what it takes to become a
pilot, and the high standards flying demands in terms of safety, discipline,
planning, dedication and the opportunities available in aviation. Most
importantly, a Young Eagles experience offers many of these young people a new
perspective on the world in which they live, providing a unique, "eagle's
eye" view of their home, their school, and their community and what the
possibilities hold for the Young Eagle.
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