Name: Grace Valla
City: Queensbury
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It’s the only program of its kind, with the sole mission to introduce and inspire kids in the world of aviation.
Today, the Young Eagles program has flown over 2 million kids.
Chapter 353 has been actively flying Young Eagles for 30+ years. Our Members, Pilots, and Ground Volunteers are dedicated to creating a fun, engaging, and safe experience for all. Every Chapter runs their rallies a little bit different, here's how ours generally work.
Our Rallies start with an online registration completed by the youth's legal guardian. Registering online lets us know how many youth are interested in a flight, so we can plan for ground volunteers and pilots. This is a popular event. We do ask that if your registered youth changes their mind or is no longer available to fly, please cancel as far head as possible. This gives kids on the waiting list the chance to fly. We do try to accommodate all youth who are interested, but of course there are some limiting factors - weather being the biggest culprit.
The day of the Rally, you will arrive at the airport during your scheduled time slot and head right to the Registration Tent. All Young Eagles must have their legal guardian with them - because they will need to sign the waiver for the youth to fly. The person present must match the legal guardian name on the Registration. We will get you checked in, give you your paperwork, and let you know how the rest of the event flows.
You will proceed to Ground School where you will learn a bit about what keeps an airplane in the air. We will also give you the do's and do nots about airport and airplane safety.
Now that you have all this new knowledge and confidence, you will proceed to the Waiting To Fly Area. You will hand your paperwork over to The Boss and you will be put in the queue to be matched with a Young Eagles Pilot for a flight. Be sure to stay close by and listen for your name.
Time to Fly! Once you are matched with a pilot, you will be escorted out to the airplane by a 353 Ramp Safety escort. Families are welcome to join the escorted Young Eagle on the ramp to take photos, but MUST hold onto small children, stay alert and listen for instructions. Family members will be escorted back to the waiting area. The Young Eagles' flight will take about 15 minutes.
Once back on the ground, the Pilot and the Young Eagle will head to the Logbooks & Certificates Area. Each Young Eagle is given a certificate with their name and the pilot's information on it. Young Eagles are also given a Logbook to document their first flight. Returning Young Eagles are encouraged to bring their Logbooks back so they can continue to track their flight time.
We encourage everyone to stop by our ever expanding Education Area. It is full of information and resources about aviation. Learn about the amazing perks of being a Young Eagle and the Young Eagle Flight Path. Whether you are a teen looking at a possible career in aviation, a young person who wants to learn more about how airplanes work, a parent who wants to better understand the steps to getting a pilots license, a family looking for more local aviation activities, or you are just hoping to pick up the latest Aviore Comic or Sport Pilot magazine, we have something for everyone. Please don't be afraid to ask questions!
Most Rallies also include a static display from our local RC Club, the Flying Tigers. Be sure to check out their amazing planes on display. Members are on site to answer questions about remote control planes and their club.
We do our best to make our Rallies fun for all and we are always adding new things. You might notice that we have merchandise, activities, and sometimes food available. All of these things are organized to keep things fresh and hopefully raise money for our Youth Programs. Your generous donations to our Youth Programs are what allow us to offer Young Eagles Rallies, and will help us get started on a couple of exciting new ventures. Thank You!
For more information from EAA headquarters about the Young Eagles program, visit www.youngeagles.org
