After the checkride

Take kids flying

THERE’S A UNIQUE joy in being able to expose someone to their first flight in a small airplane.

Try as we may to convince friends and relatives to fly with us, however, few seem to ever follow through. Forget the adults and fly kids instead. They are more likely to be enthusiastic, and the impression of that flight can last a lifetime. Obviously it’s not a good idea to just grab someone off the street and kidnap them to an airplane. Many organizations exist that enable pilots to give back through the donation of rides and money. The most popular of these is EAA’s Young Eagles. Young Eagles is a national program run at a grassroots level that is approaching 1.8 million rides. Kids between the ages of 8 and 17 get the opportunity to take a first flight, with some supporting material afterward, including some training material from Sporty’s. Pilots get the chance to experience aviation again through the eyes of a kid and first-time passenger. You can participate on an individual level or as part of a larger festival.