Amazing Young Eagles Day

[Huckster79]

Our local group flew 158 kids today! I was privileged to have taken 15 of them... What a joy to share our love and passion for aviation with so many! All went smooth and safe.. only a couple kids scared and one got sick. It did get pretty bouncy... I flew a young woman of 15 who was very serious she wants to be a commercial pilot for a career, I hope she goes for it and does it!

 

[saddletramp]

Good job! So I assume 15 kids is 15 flights for you? I flew 30 kids (10 flights) last weekend. Indeed, it is very rewarding.

On the 15th (next Saturday) I'll go to Richland, WA & fly with their EAA chapter. They were short airplanes. It will be interesting to see how many total flights I'll get this year.

I challenge the kids to become pilots. At least it gives them something to think about.

 

[luvflyin]

Good job! So I assume 15 kids is 15 flights for you? I flew 30 kids (10 flights) last weekend. Indeed, it is very rewarding.

On the 15th (next Saturday) I'll go to Richland, WA & fly with their EAA chapter. They were short airplanes. It will be interesting to see how many total flights I'll get this year.

I challenge the kids to become pilots. At least it gives them something to think about.

Yeah. To have a goal is invaluable. What’s learned along the way has great value even if the goal changes later in life

 

[Huckster79]

Good job! So I assume 15 kids is 15 flights for you? I flew 30 kids (10 flights) last weekend. Indeed, it is very rewarding.

On the 15th (next Saturday) I'll go to Richland, WA & fly with their EAA chapter. They were short airplanes. It will be interesting to see how many total flights I'll get this year.

I challenge the kids to become pilots. At least it gives them something to think about.

5 runs... my old 140 was sad n had to stay in the hanger I flew my club’s 172...

That’s one reason I bought the 140 keep it at home airport, sips gas and the tw is fun- but I kept my membership in the club so I have access to a 4 place when the need arises...

We’re off to the skies for breakfast now

 

[EppyGA]

At our May rally we flew 74 and this past Thursday we flew 27 that came from the local Tuskegee Airmen Chapter's Summer Camp. Next Saturday is our regular June event. Our Summer Camp is this week and those kids will fly on Saturday also.

 

[murphey]

5 runs... my old 140 was sad n had to stay in the hanger I flew my club’s 172...

That’s one reason I bought the 140 keep it at home airport, sips gas and the tw is fun- but I kept my membership in the club so I have access to a 4 place when the need arises...

We’re off to the skies for breakfast now

Hm....5 runs, 15 kids. Only 1 gets to sit in front and fly the airplane, right?
30 kids, 10 flights?

[snarky comment below]
I did 4 flights last week. 4 kids total, maybe a couple parents in the back. Every kid gets 10-15 min hands on time.
[end snarky comment]

 

[Huckster79]

Hm....5 runs, 15 kids. Only 1 gets to sit in front and fly the airplane, right?
30 kids, 10 flights?

[snarky comment below]
I did 4 flights last week. 4 kids total, maybe a couple parents in the back. Every kid gets 10-15 min hands on time.
[end snarky comment]

Nope it was just 5 runs... Kids chose amongst themselves who would be "co-pilot"... We don't allow parents along for the ride... Thats awesome how you do it, but we don't have enough planes to get that many kids up if they all took parents and all sat up front...

Oh I did get my little guy (3) up after the event. His mom wanted to be with him for his first flight so the old c140 won't work for that, so while I had the 172 we got them up... Well now that seal is broken he can be my breakfast co-pilot chasing pancakes all over Michigan

 

[German guy]

Do you guys see many of these kids eventually becoming private pilots? We have probably flown several thousand kids in our EAA chapter, but I know of only less than a handful of them who started flying professionally. I don't recall that even a single former young eagle ever became a GA pilot or even a home builder and joined out EAA chapter, what I thought was the main purpose of this program.

When it comes to creating new pilots and attracting new EAA members, we had more luck with the EAA's "Flying Start" program which is targeted towards adults. Even though we did only 2 or 3 events so far, some of these guys already decided to become members.

Don't get me wrong, I am by no means opposing Young Eagles. At least in our chapter I however feel that it's more about improving public relations and making kids happy than to actually add fresh blood to our aging private pilot community.

 

[Velocity173]

Big day yesterday for my brother and the EAA chapter in ABI. They did 141 YE flights. One guy was using a Beech Duke. I would’ve pushed some kids aside to go up with him.

I flew with them last month. Wish we had something local with YEs where I’m at.

 

[Velocity173]

Do you guys see many of these kids eventually becoming private pilots? We have probably flown several thousand kids in our EAA chapter, but I know of only less than a handful of them who started flying professionally. I don't recall that even a single former young eagle ever became a GA pilot or even a home builder and joined out EAA chapter, what I thought was the main purpose of this program.

When it comes to creating new pilots and attracting new EAA members, we had more luck with the EAA's "Flying Start" program which is targeted towards adults. Even though we did only 2 or 3 events so far, some of these guys already decided to become members.

Don't get me wrong, I am by no means opposing Young Eagles. At least in our chapter I however feel that it's more about improving public relations and making kids happy than to actually add fresh blood to our aging private pilot community.

Seen several stories on EAA Sport Pilot that showed some YEs go one to PPL and COM. Some even went to military aviation.

 

[frfly172]

Good job, young eagles are some of my favorite flights

 

[steingar]

Flew a boatload myself Saturday. I think 6 fully loaded trips, the whole Chapter did 94. Only wrinkle was I was flying the only retractable, everyone else was in a Skyhawk. I made my circuits a bit wider to give myself room to configure the aircraft for landing (and so I wouldn’t run over any Skyhawks). Got a bit of grief for it, but too bad.

 

[EppyGA]

Not every Young Eagle is going to become a pilot. A lot of them are there so they can get a free plane ride. That doesn't stop us from doing it. I took a young man for a YE flight in 2014, up til then he was an RC guy. When we started a youth build program, he joined it. That allowed him to accumulate credits for training. Last year he completed his PP certificate and is deciding where he will go to school.

The first one of our youth build folks to earn his PP Certificate has completed his IR training and waiting for his check ride. I believe Hs is targeting Embry Riddle.

Both of these young men have flown Young Eagles for the chapter.

A third young man from our build program is currently stationed at Corpus Christi NAS training in the Texan T6-B.

A young lady from our program soloed before graduating HS and is now flying at Middle Georgia University. Not all of them want to be pilots, we have young man that is also at Middle Georgia University pursuing an A&P.

 

[Huckster79]

Good job, young eagles are some of my favorite flights

I think we had as much or more fun than the kids.

 

[Huckster79]

Flew a boatload myself Saturday. I think 6 fully loaded trips, the whole Chapter did 94. Only wrinkle was I was flying the only retractable, everyone else was in a Skyhawk. I made my circuits a bit wider to give myself room to configure the aircraft for landing (and so I wouldn’t run over any Skyhawks). Got a bit of grief for it, but too bad.

We had Skyhawks from reg ones to 180hp w a CS prop, cherokees, a 150 taildragger, a 180 and a straight tail 172 tailwheel... but what we do that visiting groups have liked is 5 mins out, left 90 degrees 5 mins, another 5 min 90 then a generous 90 so we come back in a ways and work our way to a 45 degree entry downwind, worked well as then speed differences didn’t matter so much... kept the flow of 8-9 of us pretty darn smooth... I had to wait only once for a plane on short final...

 

[steingar]

We had Skyhawks from reg ones to 180hp w a CS prop, cherokees, a 150 taildragger, a 180 and a straight tail 172 tailwheel... but what we do that visiting groups have liked is 5 mins out, left 90 degrees 5 mins, another 5 min 90 then a generous 90 so we come back in a ways and work our way to a 45 degree entry downwind, worked well as then speed differences didn’t matter so much... kept the flow of 8-9 of us pretty darn smooth... I had to wait only once for a plane on short final...

The difference between me and the other aircraft was considerable. My last flight I actually followed the prepresecribed route, got behind the aircraft and had a lousy landing. I might experiment with lower power settings, so I fit in when I do this kind of thing.
We all flew out to a local airport for lunch afterwards. I started last (had to wait for my passenger) and arrived at the same time as a couple of the Skyhawks. Had to do some fairly unusual things to configure the aircraft for landing. Would have been good landing except for the winds, which are howling, gusty, and about 70 degrees off my nose.