The EAA Young Eagles program was launched in 1992 to give interested young people, ages 8 - 17, an opportunity to go flying in a general aviation airplane. These flights are offered free of charge and are made possible through the generosity of EAA member volunteers.

Since 1992, over 2 million Young Eagles have enjoyed a flight through the program. Young Eagles have been registered in more than 90 different countries and have been flown by nearly 40,000 volunteer pilots.

Participation is easy. Simply contact EAA Chapter 1310 at info@eaa1310.org or call Paul Dowgewicz at 860-281-1310 to sign up for our next event. We hope you enjoy a Young Eagles introduction to the exciting world of aviation. Visit www.youngeagles.org to find out more about aviation and this program.

So what will your flight be like?

The biggest question on your mind might be about the actual flight. So what should you expect?

First of all, your pilot will explain what will happen during the flight. This might include talking about the airplane; reviewing an aeronautical chart (or map); identifying reference points during the flight; completing a careful "walk around" preflight inspection of the airplane and identifying the parts that control the airplane.

Once you are ready to go flying, your pilot will help you buckle your seat belt and describe the interior of the airplane, including the instrument panel. Pretty soon, it will be time to go flying!

Once in the air, you’ll see the earth and sky in a new and exciting way. You’ll experience the wonderful freedom of flight that many people only dream about. If you are like most Young Eagles, you’ll remember this experience for the rest of your life.

Most Young Eagle flights last between 15 and 20 minutes. Once back on the ground, there will be additional time for you to ask questions about the flight. Ask away! Your pilot will be happy to tell you more about flying and their particular airplane. And don’t forget, you’ll also receive an official Young Eagles certificate, which is signed, by your personal pilot and our Chairman Sean D. Tucker.

We look forward to adding your name to the ever-growing list of EAA Young Eagles!

What is EAA?

EAA, the Experimental Aircraft Association, is an international aviation membership association founded in 1953 and headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. EAA sponsors many aviation education programs including the EAA Young Eagles program.

More than 170,000 people currently belong to EAA, with local 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 and even astronauts.

Our members enjoy all types of airplanes, including "experimental" aircraft, those aircraft built by individual craftsmen, rather than in a factory. "Experimental" refers to the category of aircraft designed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for these types of airplanes. Similar to standard category aircraft, Experimental aircraft are inspected and certified airworthy by FAA.

EAA's corporate offices and extensive AirVenture Museum are located in Oshkosh. EAA is a 501(c)(3) organization, recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. EAA hosts one of the world's largest general aviation events, the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Fly-In. The event draws more than 500,000 people and 10,000 aircraft to Oshkosh each summer. www.eaa.org; www.airventure.org.

Sean D. Tucker has many titles to his name. He's the U.S. National Advanced Aerobatic Champion, winner of numerous showmanship awards, a Living Legend of Aviation, and an honorary Thunderbird, Blue Angel, and Golden Knight - to name a few.

Tucker is also the new Young Eagles honorary chairman, replacing Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and Jeff Skiles, the airline pilots known for their expert handling of their emergency landing in the Hudson River - the so-called Miracle on the Hudson.

"It's my second full-time job," says Tucker, whose aerobatic acts have wowed EAA AirVenture Oshkosh visitors for decades. "That's how committed I am to this legacy."

Tucker says EAA's mentorship helped him gain success as an air show performer. "That's why I made this commitment to spread the word about aviation and make this program more successful."

He says all the past Young Eagles chairmen - Cliff Robertson, Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager, Harrison Ford, and Sullenberger and Skiles - have left the program in great shape. "But I will strive to do an even better job. Everything good that has happened in my life is because of EAA members' involvement."

"I'm ready to rock it."

Tucker says he plans to spread the word about Young Eagles through the air show and media markets. But he also hopes to inspire the pilots who fly children through the program.

"I will be the voice, but it's the men and women who volunteer their time that really make this program so successful," he says. "I want to honor them; they are the unsung heroes."

He says he plans to lead by example. "I will get the word out to chapters and make personal visits with my airplane so I can fly with these kids."

Tucker has also flown many youth in the past, including some Young Eagles. "I love sharing the magic of flight," he says. "Once a person leaves the ground, it changes their perspective. It's something they never forget."

Whether or not they become a pilot, they have seen the world from angel's eyes. "It changes them profoundly," Tucker says. "It's uplifting, inspiring, empowering...."

Tucker says he was humbled to be asked to become the honorary chairman. "I'm a worker man, a blue-collar guy who isn't a celebrity. But I am passionate and reverent about how flight can change your life and define a person as a human being. This is the greatest confidence every bestowed on me."

Tucker At A Glance

• He started aerobatic lessons to overcome his fear of stalling the plane.

• He has logged more than 20,000 flying hours.

• He has entertained more than 80 million fans in more than 1,000 performances at 425 air shows.

• More than half of his maneuvers are original and have never been duplicated by another aerobatic pilot.

• He is the only civilian performer ever to be allowed to fly close formation with the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds.