Some general aviation pilots may wonder if participating in Young Eagles rallies is worth their time.
The members of EAA Chapter 1088 in Fredericksburg, Texas, have an answer for those pilots: A resounding yes.
At the group’s latest Young Eagles rally in September 2026 at Gillespie County Airport (T82), they flew 15 young people between the ages of 7 and 18.
For many of the young participants, it was their first airplane ride — a moment that could leave a lasting impression and inspire a lifelong connection to aviation. As the aircraft climbed away from the runway, the Young Eagles experienced the world from an entirely new perspective. Familiar landscapes looked different from above, and the excitement, freedom, and wonder of flight began to take on a whole new meaning.
But once they were airborne, his curiosity quickly took over as he began spotting familiar places on the ground below.
Anthony Cisneros had no idea he was going flying until his mother surprised him that morning. His pilot, Harry Anthony, said Anthony was initially a little apprehensive.
For 13-year-old Rubi Marin, the experience began before the engine ever started. During the preflight inspection, her pilot, Larry Gollaher, took the opportunity to explain how the aircraft’s rudder and ailerons work. It was a hands-on introduction to the mechanics of flight and a reminder that aviation is about much more than simply getting an airplane into the air.
Layla Rejcek, 11, is already well on her way to becoming an aviation enthusiast. Her September flight was her third Young Eagles experience, and she has already attended aviation camps as she works toward her goal of becoming a pilot.
And then there’s Olivia Worth, who at 9 already knows she wants to be a fighter pilot and astronaut when she grows up.
Dressed in a flight suit and a pair of pink light-up boots, Olivia climbed aboard a Kitfox piloted by EAA Chapter 1088’s Bill Lucy. She especially loved the fact that the Kitfox has no doors, giving her an unobstructed view of the world below. When asked what her favorite part of the flight was, Olivia didn’t hesitate: “Taking off!”
Olivia’s fascination with aviation began when she was just a toddler. Around the age of one, Olivia and her mother, Megan Worth, a retired U.S. Marine who worked in communications, were living next to the runway at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. From their second-floor patio, Olivia could watch military jets taking off and landing throughout the day. The aircraft were so close that she could often see the pilots inside the cockpits.
Those early experiences left a lasting impression. Olivia became fascinated with airplanes, jets, and helicopters, and that fascination followed her when she and her mother later moved to San Diego, California.
There, Olivia and her mother would visit Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Naval Air Station Coronado, often eating lunch at a picnic table while watching the aircraft come and go. For Olivia, watching airplanes wasn’t simply something to do—it was the beginning of a dream.
When she was just 7, Olivia told her mother she wanted to become a jet pilot.
“I knew that she was very serious about pursuing her dream,” Megan said.
Her Young Eagles flight has only added fuel to her passion for aviation and strengthened her determination to one day become a Navy pilot.
For this Young Eagle, the dream isn’t just taking flight — it already has a destination, chapter members said.
EAA 1088 Young Eagles Coordinator Ken Langley summed up the day perfectly: “Fifteen kids participated and left with huge smiles after their flights. This wouldn’t have been possible without our pilots and ground volunteers taking time out of their busy schedules to create this experience for them.”
Since its launch in 1992, the Young Eagles program has introduced more than 2.5 million young people ages 8 through 17 to the wonder of flight.
To arrange a Young Eagles flight or for more information about future Young Eagle events, contact Ken Langley, EAA Chapter 1088 Young Eagle Coordinator at 512-298-2930 or [email protected].
For more information: EAA.org
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