Young Eagles FAQ

 

 


 
 
 

What is the EAA and the
EAA Aviation Foundation?

The EAA is an international aviation membership association founded in 1953. More than 170,00 people belong to EAA, with chapters located in all 50 states and many countries. Members are aviation enthusiasts of every age group, including many airline and commercial pilots, engineers, business people, even astronauts. They enjoy all types of airplanes, including "experimental" aircraft (a category of airplanes designated by the FAA, built by individual craftsmen instead of on a factory assembly line). The Young Eagles program is sponsored by the EAA Aviation Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization dedicated to the discovery and fulfillment of individual potential through personal flight.

What's this program about?

Have you ever wondered what it's like to fly? Young Eagles don't have to imagine what flying is like. Each Young Eagle will become part of a special group of people who have shared in a common experience - the thrill of flying! You will have the chance to actually fly in an airplane and look at the world below you. YOU are invited to take to the skies and become a YOUNG EAGLE!

 
 

What do I have to do to become a YOUNG EAGLE?

If you are age 8 through 17, have a parent or guardian complete the appropriate registration form. Take the registration form to an EAA member. He or she will help prepare you for a demonstration flight in an airplane. You can ask your volunteer pilot as many questions as you like. In doing so, you'll learn more about airplanes and the principles of flight. That's all there is to it. It's really that simple! For more information on the program, write the Young Eagles office at:

EAA Aviation Foundation
P.O. Box 2683
Oshkosh, WI 54903-2683

Call us at (920) 426-4831, or e-mail us at yeagles@eaa.org.
Or, in the Monterey Bay / Santa Cruz County area, contact:

EAA Chapter 119
60 Aviation Way
Watsonville, CA 95076

e-mail to: Young Eagles Coordinator

 
 

What happens after the flight?

After your flight, your pilot will complete and mail the registration form, so you can:

  • Be registered as a Young Eagle.
  • Have your name listed in the world's largest logbook on display at the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, WI, and listed on the Young Eagles website logbook (www.youngeagles.org).
  • Obtain additional information on the other aviation organizations and activities.
  • Receive information on scholarship programs administered by the EAA Aviation Foundation.
 
 

Will it be safe?

Flying in an airplane is safer than many other forms of recreation. Each Young Eagle flight takes place in a FAA registered airplane flown by a licensed pilot. The flight is conducted according to federal regulations. No aerobatic or non-standard maneuvers will be performed.

Millions of people fly safely in airplanes every year. However, an airport is not a playground. Listen and follow instructions given by your pilot and follow these simple rules when you are around an airplane:

  • Stay away from the propellers
  • Listen carefully for instructions on entering and exiting an airplane
  • Do not touch any part of an airplane without the pilot's permission
  • Stay with your pilot or ground crew at all times.
 
 

What will my flight be like?

First of all your pilot will explain what you will do and see. This may include:

  • Telling you about the airplane
  • Reviewing an aeronautical chart and identifying reference points you will look for during the flight
  • Completing a careful "walk around" preflight inspection of the airplane and identifying the parts that control the airplane
  • Helping you buckle your seat belt and describing the interior of the airplane, including the instrument panel.

You will see the earth and sky in a new and exciting way. You will experience the wonderful freedom of flight that many people only dream about. Like an eagle, you will soar among the clouds and understand the many possibilities that flight - and life in general - have to offer. Many people remember this experience for the rest of their lives. You will, too!

For more information, contact:

Rob Wyland
Young Eagles Coordinator, Chapter 119

Copyright © 2001-2006 - All Rights Reserved
Experimental Aircraft Association, Chapter 119
www.eaa119.org
updated 11/03/06