By Staff
Area young people ages 8-17 will have a chance to take to the skies on Saturday, Aug. 13, as Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 1028 hosts a Young Eagles flight rally at Dowagiac Municipal Airport.
The rally is part of the EAA Young Eagles program, created to interest young people in aviation.
Since the program launched in 1992, volunteer EAA pilots have flown more than 1.2 million young people who reside in more than 90 countries.
The initial goal was to fly 1 million children in time for the 100th anniversary of flight celebration on Dec. 17, 2003.
The 1 million Young Eagle mark was achieved on Nov. 13, 2003.
Pilots at the event will also explain more about their airplanes, allowing young people to discover how airplanes work and how pilots insure safety is the prime concern before every flight.
Following the flight, each young person will receive a certificate making them an official Young Eagle.
Their name will then be entered into the "World's Largest Logbook," which is on permanent display at the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wis.
The logbook is also accessible on the Internet at www.youngeagles.org.
Along with flight rallies, EAA members also fly Young Eagles on an individual basis.
Actor Harrison Ford chairs the Young Eagles.
Each pilot volunteers their time and aircraft so flights can be provided free of charge for interested young people.
Those attending the fight rally on Saturday, Aug. 13, at Municipal Airport are asked to come starting at 8 a.m. to register for their flight.
Flights begin at 8:30 a.m., with registration closing at 11 a.m.
Additional information about EAA and the EAA Young Eagles program is available on the Internet.
Access to EAA's home page is available at www.eaa.org.
The Young Eagles Web page is www.youngeagles.org.