CLEARWATER, - Kids and teens, ages 8-17, interested in aviation should attend Young Eagles Flight Rally, hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 282. The rally is Saturday, May 12, at Clearwater Airpark, 1000 N. Hercules Ave. Flight registrations are from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Flights begin at 9 a.m. and are free.
Activities include a pancake breakfast for a nominal charge, individual flights, and pilots will explain how airplanes work and how to ensure safety. Following the flight, each participant will be certified as a Young Eagle. Their name will be entered into the "World's Largest Logbook," which is on permanent display at the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, WI.
"Free airplane rides are just part of the Flight Rally," said Ed Dolezal, spokesman for the event. "We hope to build one-to-one relationships between pilots and young people, giving a new generation a chance to learn more about the possibilities that exist in the world of aviation."
The EAA Young Eagles program was launched in 1992 to give those interested in flying or restoring planes, working in the airline industry, or getting a private pilot license, an opportunity to fly in a general aviation airplane. These flights are offered free of charge and are made possible through the EAA member volunteers. Since 1992, more than 1.1 million Young Eagles have experienced a flight, have been registered in more than 90 countries, and have been flown by nearly 40,000 volunteer pilots.
For more information, go to www.eaa282.org or call Ed Dolezal, (727) 647-2661.
