Video: Young Eagles Take Flight at LITH Airport

Children ages 8 to 17 years old took part in the Young Eagle Rally at the  Saturday.

Pilot Ole Sindberg said the program is designed to show kids and teens what aviation is all about. It’s open to any kid wanting to experience flying.

“In most cases, it’s the first time that a young person is exposed to flying other than as a passenger on an airliner,” Sindberg said. “In some cases, it’s even their first flight ever including airliner flights. The fact that you can actually convey in a sense that it’s light airplane and operate it yourself and get a pilots license and so on, it has never dawned on a lot of young people.”

Organizers Nancy Blazyk and Shane Stolarik said typically three to six Experimental Aircraft Association pilots donate their time and money to give Young Eagles free rides. More than 55 kids showed up to the last rally and Blazyk said she hopes future rallies will draw that big of a crowd.

Along with the free rides, Young Eagles are exposed to different small aircraft. One such aircraft is Sindberg’s plane, which he spent 11 years building. It is one of two in the world.

He said flying is a significant part of society and is part of the reason why he has flown over 370 Young Eagles in the past decade.

“It’s just a small part of giving back,” Sindberg said. “I’ve been privileged to be able to have a career like this that I enjoy and one that was satisfying in every way and so it’s part of the giving back and it makes me feel good so.”

The LITH Airport will hold its next Young Eagle Rally on Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. until noon. Blazyk also said she is willing to set aside time for groups like Boy and Girl Scouts Troops to take flights.

For more information visit the EAA Chapter 790 Young Eagles website. 

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