Phillips 66 Aviation is bringing “Miracle on the Hudson” First Officer Jeff Skiles and his restored 1935 WACO cabin airplane to lead a Young Eagles rally Saturday, Sept. 18, hosted by Cirrus Flight Operations in Blaine, Minn. Pilots and volunteers from EAA Chapter 237 will join Skiles and Phillips 66 to help Minneapolis-area youths experience the thrills of flight.
Phillips 66 Aviation is bringing Skiles to three special Young Eagle rallies this fall, starting with EAA Chapter 237 at Anoka County Airport in Blaine, Minn.
Cirrus Flight Operations is one of three Phillips 66 Aviation-branded FBOs hosting the special rallies with Skiles. JA Air Center in Aurora, Ill., will host a Young Eagle rally with Skiles on Sept. 26, followed by an Oct. 2 rally in Arizona at Payson Aviation. Skiles will be flying his ’35 WACO to the events at Cirrus Flight Support and JA Air Center.
The rallies are a natural offshoot of Phillips 66 Aviation’s long-time support of the Young Eagles program, which is designed to nurture childhood interest in general aviation. Volunteer pilots are offered a $1 rebate for every gallon of avgas purchased for Young Eagle flights with a Phillips 66 Aviation personal card. All told, pilots for some 400,000 Young Eagle flights have used the Phillips 66 Aviation rebate.
“People get the aviation bug when they see me pull up in that 1935 WACO cabin,” says Skiles. “It’s a lot of fun to see their excitement.”
For the EAA chapters, holding Young Eagle rallies takes a special commitment of time, energy and fuel. But, as the winner of the 2010 Phillips 66 Aviation Leadership Award explains, there is a lot riding on the events. “These rallies take a lot of time, but it’s worth it, both for the kids and especially for the future of aviation,” says Jim Quinn, honored by Phillips this summer for his volunteer work with Young Eagles.
For more information: Phillips66Aviation.com or YoungEagles.org.
