EAA Chapter Marks 20,000 Young Eagles Flights

One of the best parts of being a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association is the opportunity to participate in Young Eagles rallies. Just ask the members of EAA Chapter 579 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. The chapter just surpassed 20,000 Young Eagle Rides—that’s more than any other chapter in the world.

“This is a huge milestone for our chapter and all the volunteers involved,” says EAA chapter president and Young Eagles pilot Mike Baer. “We all love aviation, and being able to share the magic of flying with so many kids is very special.”

Chapter 579, based at Aurora Municipal Airport (KARR), formed in 1977, a full 15 years before EAA created the Young Eagles program, which is designed to give children ages 8 to 17 a chance to fly in a small aircraft. Today, the chapter is composed of pilots of all experience levels from students and professionals to aviation engineers and enthusiasts, and aircraft builders.

According to Baer, May to October is Young Eagles season. On the third Sunday of the month (weather permitting), chapter pilots and dedicated ground crew volunteer their time to share the joy of aviation.

Baer notes that flying Young Eagles is the best thing a person can do with their pilot certificate.

“We usually will have eight to 10 airplanes and 15 to 20 ground volunteers,” he says. “From working registration to flightline marshallers to ride pilots, it requires a lot of people to make these Young Eagle rallies happen. And these volunteers don’t just give their time and aircraft to the cause. They all share their passion for flying to every kid that comes by.”

For the 20,000th flight rally, there was an eclectic collection of aircraft, including a Cessna 150, 170, 182, and six 172s, along with a Piper Pacer, a Hatz CB-1 biplane, and an American Champion Scout on amphibious floats.

“Over the years, we have also seen Cessna Skymasters, Cessna 177s, Cessna 195s, a variety of Vans RV aircraft, a Quicksilver ultralight, and a squadron of other aircraft that helped us reach 20,000,” Baer says.

While all Young Eagles rallies are fun, this one was made extra special as Chris Gauger, a representative from EAA, was there to present a special trophy to recognize the chapter for its efforts.

The chapter uses EAA’s online registration system to space out the flights during the day so that no one is waiting around for long. There are also child and family appropriate aviation activities, such as a miniature and age-appropriate ground school to keep the visitors busy and entertained while they wait for their turn in the aircraft.

“In addition, we have a tent set up with a flight simulator, allowing the kids to learn basic flight controls while still on the ground,” says Baer. “We also have a static display aircraft that we make available for viewing by siblings who are interested in climbing into an aircraft but are still a bit too young to fly as a Young Eagle, and we, of course, have a souvenir tent where we sell EAA 579 hats and T-shirts to help cover some of our expenses.”