World War II history lessons were the order of the day for a Jan. 20, 2019, Young Eagles event hosted by EAA Chapter 534 at Leesburg International Airport (KLEE) in Florida.
First, the 19 Young Eagles got to meet Jack Hallett, a World War II fighter pilot who is a member of the chapter. At the ripe old age of 98, Jack tells flying stories of the war like it happened yesterday. When he gets started, he has everybody on the edge of their chairs.
Jack flew fighter aircraft in Europe, was shot down twice by enemy ground fire, flew cover during the Normandy invasion of France in 1944, and was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The next surprise was the visit of a 1942 restored Grumman Widgeon G-44 twin-engine amphibian. This type of aircraft was used during World War II by all branches of the US. military, but notably by the Navy and Coast Guard for enemy submarine patrols.
This plane belongs to Sean Reynolds, an airline pilot, who offered to fly his plane to Leesburg for a show-and-tell session.
Just about all the kids, their parents, and the chapter members had a chance to get up close and personal with his plane by climbing aboard.
Things got very busy inside the EAA Chapter 534 hangar as it filled with eager young folks anxious to complete the paperwork necessary to take part in the Young Eagles flight program. Parents and guardians mingled with chapter members and asked questions about the program and wondered about all the aircraft construction projects in the works in the hangar.
After the paperwork was completed, each Young Eagle was introduced to their EAA pilot and escorted to the plane they would be flying. In many instances parents went out to the ramp with their children to take photos of their offspring next to the airplane. These pictures will, no doubt, become treasured visual remembrances to show family and friends.
Local EAA chapters across the country offer the Young Eagles flight program free of charge to young people ages 8 to 17. Since its inception in 1992, more than 2 million Young Eagles have taken flight.
Young Eagles receive a log book and commemorative certificate of their flight signed by their EAA pilot. If they are interested, they also receive access to a free online ground school course to help them pass the FAA private pilot written exam. They also are given one hour of dual flight instruction free at a flight school of their choice.
On the latest Young Eagles day at KLEE, EAA Chapter 534 provided eight fixed-wing aircraft and volunteer pilots to fly this group of excited kids, many of whom actually got to fly the plane themselves under the watchful eyes of their EAA pilots.
There were also 12 chapter members available to take care of the paperwork, answer questions, and keep things safe out on the ramp.
The next Young Eagles event at Leesburg International Airport will be Feb. 16, 2019, weather permitting.