KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |Young Eagle Program: Scouts Fly

Young Eagle Program: Scouts Fly

Up up and away. That's what some young East Texans got to do Saturday morning.  As part of the EAA, or Experimental Aircraft Association pilots a group of Boy and Girl scouts got to fly in small planes. These youngsters became young eagles after their flight, alll part of a program created in 1993 to get young people interested in flying.

"Are you guys ready to go fly?," asked Roger the pilot. "Absolutely," chimed 12 year old Dustin Grover and 11 year old Ana Sharp.  With their pilot guiding the way they checked the plane-the propeller, belts and all.  After checking in with the control tower up we went flying from Tyler Pounds to Frankston and back.

"He told us it was going to be bumpy, but I didn't expect it to be that bumpy," said Ana, age 11, Junior Girl Scout. "It was really nice scenery."

"It was kinda bumpy when we got up, but then it smoothed out when we got all the way up," said Dustin, Age 12, Second Class Boy Scout working on his aviation merit badge. 

"It was really cool, and I was really glad that I got to take this experience," said Ana. 

"A program that instituted back in 1993 to get kids by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to introduce kids like this to aviation.  They had a goal of a million youngsters by December 2003 and by October of that year they exceeded that. It's still going strong, and now they've probably had a million and a half kids worldwide," said Bill Vawter, Young Eagle Coordinator.  The pilots goal was to get kids interested in flying as a career-something they accomplished.

"What do you want to do when you  grow up? " I asked, 9 year old Brit Bays answered "Fly a plane."

With an official Young Eagle certificate, their new wings these children also left with memories that will last a lifetime. The next Young Eagle flight day is scheduled for December 6th at Holly Lake Ranch. For information on the local EAA group or for Young Eagle information contact Bill at (903) 769-4031.

Danielle Capper, Reporting. dcapper@kltv.com