More than 35,000 EAA member-pilots and 50,000 ground support volunteers achieve remarkable goal

As we've hinted over the last few days, an amazing milestone has been achieved as the 1,000,000th Young Eagle recently took flight. The largest youth aviation initiative ever conceived has reached its lofty objective, as the EAA's Young Eagles Program reached its goal of giving 1 million young people a free demonstration airplane flight by the centennial of the Wright brothers' first flight on Dec. 17, 2003.
 
Andrew Grant, a 15-year-old high school sophomore from German Valley, Ill., was registered as Young Eagle No. 1,000,000 this week, with the official announcement made by EAA President Tom Poberezny during a news conference a short while ago at the EAA AirVenture Museum. Grant was flown on Oct. 25, 2003, by pilot Rick Ellis (EAA #469164) of Freeport, Ill., who has flown more than 860 Young Eagles since 1995.
 
"It's difficult to put into context the true achievement of flying one million Young Eagles," Poberezny said. "When we announced the program in 1992, there were many people who thought flying a million kids was simply unattainable. Through the efforts of tens of thousands of dedicated EAA volunteers, both pilots and ground personnel, the dream became reality. To them we say, literally, 'Thanks a million,' and celebrate this historic achievement. The aviation community owes these people a debt of gratitude, because they have helped secure the future of flight."

Grant and his family, along with Ellis, have been invited to Kitty Hawk, N.C., next month to attend EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk, presented by Ford Motor Company, the official ceremony celebrating 100 years of powered flight. During the Dec. 17 festivities, Grant will fly with Gen. Chuck Yeager, the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound and Chairman of the Young Eagles Program since 1994. This flight will formally recognize the 1 million Young Eagles and all the volunteer pilots who participated in the program.

"It's really a big deal and I'm getting kind of nervous about it," Grant said about that upcoming flight with Gen. Yeager.

Ellis has flown Young Eagles every year since obtaining his Private Pilot's certificate eight years ago. Interestingly, his first meaningful flight experience as a teenager was at the annual EAA fly-in convention in the 1960s, then held at Rockford, Ill. Ellis flew in the open-air cockpit Breezy with EAA member Carl Unger. That airplane is currently on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum.

"I'm sure the Wright brothers had much greater vision than what we give them credit for, but even they couldn't realize how much impact their achievement would have," Ellis said. "To celebrate the 100th anniversary of flight and to do it where the Wrights had the first successful flights is going to be awesome."

The Young Eagles Program was created in 1992 after EAA members indicated that one of the most important initiatives should be introducing young people to aviation. The initial Young Eagles flights took place during the 1992 EAA fly-in convention in Oshkosh, piloted by Poberezny and Academy Award-winning actor Cliff Robertson, who was the first Honorary Chairman of the program. Poberezny's daughter, Lesley, was the first Young Eagle registered.

The program has maintained its popularity in part because of its simplicity. A pilot and each Young Eagle conduct a preflight check of an airplane, focusing on how the airplane works and how pilots prepare to fly safely. They then board the aircraft and take a brief (usually 15-20 minute) flight, where young people can discover more about the aircraft and the unique perspective from the sky. Following the flight, each Young Eagle receives a certificate signed by the pilot and Gen. Yeager (seen below), and also has his or her name entered in the "World's Largest Logbook," which is on permanent display at the EAA AirVenture Museum and through the www.youngeagles.org web site.

Since those first flights in 1992, Young Eagles flights have taken place on every continent except Antarctica and in aircraft ranging from business jets to blimps. Each year, EAA receives numerous reports of young people who have been inspired to pursue aviation as a career or as recreation because of their Young Eagles flights. Many of those early Young Eagles are now flying Young Eagles as well. Every major university aviation program and all U.S. military academies also have current students who were inspired by a Young Eagles flight.

In addition, the Young Eagles Program has reached many underprivileged young people throughout the country, such as inner-city youth and those living on tribal reservations or in remote areas. Young Eagles has also offered the wonder of flight to thousands of disabled youngsters and Special Olympians over the past 11 years.

"As we said when we introduced the program in 1992, the Young Eagles Program is planting seeds for the future of aviation," Poberezny said. "Some of those seeds sprout immediately, while others may not blossom for 10 or 20 years. This program is vitally important because it is the base for aviation's future. It makes a difference for aviation and especially for the young people who are touched by it. Those of us who have participated in it have found that we receive much more in return than what we give to the effort."

Poberezny also emphasized that the Young Eagles Program will continue after the Dec. 17 festivities. The program has become a major activity for EAA Chapters and at local airports. In the future, the program will offer additional resources for young people who are interested in discovering more about flight.

FMI: www.eaa.org