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Young Eagles soars past 2.2 million kids flown

By General Aviation News Staff · February 12, 2020 ·

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — The biggest youth aviation education program ever created reached another milestone, as the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles program surpassed 2.2 million kids flown since the first program’s flights took place at the 1992 EAA Fly-In Convention at Oshkosh.

Young Eagles Co-Chairman Sean Tucker and a Young Eagle. (Photo courtesy EAA).

“As we reach each of these milestones, it’s a further credit to the dedication of the EAA member pilots and volunteers who have committed their time and aircraft to bringing young people into aviation,” said Jack Pelton, EAA CEO and chairman of the board. “The success of Young Eagles means thousands of today’s under-40 pilots can trace their personal journeys back to that first flight with a Young Eagles pilot.”

More than 50,000 EAA pilots have donated their time, aircraft, and fuel to fly kids over the past 27 years, with an equal number of ground volunteers assisting the program, EAA officials report.

Flights have taken place on every continent except Antarctica, and in aircraft ranging from hot air balloons to corporate jets.

Young Eagles began in 1992 in response to a survey of EAA members who overwhelmingly replied that getting young people involved in aviation was the most important issue to ensure the future of recreational flight.

Young Eagles has also been the foundation of EAA’s more recent efforts to encourage and engage young people in aviation. That includes the Sporty’s online Learn to Fly course, available to all Young Eagles and now approaching 75,000 enrollees.

It also set the stage for last year’s inaugural group of Ray Aviation Scholarship recipients, as more than 100 young people earned full flight training scholarships in conjunction with local EAA chapters.

Dozens of aviation companies also support Young Eagles, including Phillips 66, Garmin, Lightspeed, WACO Aircraft, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, and Global Aerospace, as well as Young Eagles Flight Plan sponsors Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Sporty’s Pilot Shop.

“To every pilot and ground volunteer who has been part of Young Eagles, the aviation community thanks you,” Pelton said. “If you haven’t flown a Young Eagle yet, we enthusiastically invite you to do so. You will have a more impactful influence on the future of flight than you’ll ever know.”

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Comments

  1. Jim McGauhey says

    February 13, 2020 at 10:43 am

    Our EAA Chapter 84 in Snohomish, WA has flown 400 to 500 YE’s some years and over 300 most every year. We have rallies flying over 200 in a day (~260 is our record) plus many private YE flights (can fly YE’s every day, not just at rallies). I’d be glad to help anyone organize a large rally. Most of our pilots are not chapter members, but national EAA members. Look outside your chapter for help. Encourage your airport to have a Airport Appreciation Day and invite the public and youth for free YE flights. Send notices to schools, in the local paper, and all media. BE CAREFUL OF SCOUTS. Flying scouts in an official scout outing has special requirements and they do not allow Experimental aircraft!! Can fly them outside of an official scout event, open to the rest of the public. Need rally help? [email protected]

  2. JimH in CA says

    February 12, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    It’s great to see this article , [ after my comment on the ‘Up. Up and Away’ article ].
    Our EAA chapter flies 75 kids, twice a year at KLHM, Lincoln, CA . We have 11 aircraft, certified, experimental, and a couple of gyroplanes.
    It’s always a fun time for all.!

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