Last year, our family discovered the Young Eagles program, where all four of our children were taken up in a Cessna airplane over the farm fields and the bay area where we live. They went in search of our house while the children learned about flying from the pilot, a gentleman who has been flying for many years. The experience was free and absolutely priceless. The experience sparked an interest in our 12yo daughter who hopes to become a pilot (upon hearing that, our pilot said, “That’s why we do this!”).
(that’s our kids with their pilot!)
The Young Eagles program takes children on first flights across America and Canada. Your kids will fly for free! The children are first introduced to the airplane as they help the pilot check it before take-off. They then buckle in and fly for about 15-20 minutes. After they land safely, the children are giving a logbook to take home.
The students are also given a free EAA membership, which includes an online magazine and free access to over 300 science and technology museums.
The students are also given free access to an online aviation course. Here’s the description:
EAA and Sporty’s Pilot Shop have teamed up to offer Sporty’s Complete Flight Training Course – a $215 value – offered for free!
This online course is designed to take you all the way through the process of passing the FAA written exams (required tests to earn your private pilot certificate) and more.
Then, your child between the ages of 13-19 who has completed Part I (recreational aviation) of the free online aviation course above, will qualify to take a free introductory flight lesson – a real flight lesson – that normally costs about $120.
If your child is still interested in flying, he or she may then submit an application for a full or partial scholarship to continue private pilot lessons. Over $300,000 in funds are set aside for those students over 14 years old who have completed the entire online aviation course.
How to Learn More: The entire program I mentioned above is explained more fully on this YE Flight Plan page.
How to Get this Freebie: Yes, free! We didn’t pay a single penny for the experience. Visit Learn to Fly for more information including a list of participating locations. Note: My location is not listed, so yours may not be as well. I found out about ours through the local newspaper. Only about a dozen children showed up on our flight date! They had 6 pilots and 6 airplanes ready and waiting.
updated in 2019. originally published in 2012.
My 10 year old daughter participated in this program a couple of weeks ago at a local airport in NJ. It was such an amazing experience, one that she will never forget! She went up in a little 2 seater plane and the pilot was amazing with her. She was a little afraid at first, but she said that once she was in the air, she didn’t want to come back down. What a wonderful lesson she learned about facing down your fears and taking a chance on a new experience.
That's such a great story, Deborah! Our daughter wasn't sure, too, but came out of the plane, pointed to it, and said, "THAT'S what I'm going to do! …And ballet.". Our Ballerina Pilot, LOL.
Lori Seaborg
http://JustPureLovely.com
http://FreelyEducate.com
This program is sponsored by EAA which is a whole 9 miles down the road from me. I plan to take advantage of this when my kids are old enough (they need to be at least 8) but wanted to add that with the free membership if your in WI they have a cool little aviation museum. Ive taken our children there and a couple of years ago we actually purchased a membership. EAA also hosts a fly-in event each year in late july/early august that is cool because we live sooo close that we can see all the planes flying in AND practicing their routines for the EAA air shows. VERY COOL place!
I tried to if there was anything in our area and apparently there aren’t any for 2000 miles of my zip code. 🙁
Ruthie, give them a call if you haven’t. Our area doesn’t advertise it well at all.
Another tip, Ruthie (and anyone else not finding an event through the above link), our area isn’t listed even though they fly every year. I found it last year by Googling ‘Young Eagles’ + our town and nearby towns. The year before, a friend saw a blurb in the town paper and told me about it. You may have to search for an event, but it’s worth it if you can find one!
So should I call the local EAA group to find out if they are doing the event in the area other wise the only one listed is almost 200 miles from home.
Yes, try that, Charise. It's seriously hard to find the one in our area.
EAA Young Eagles
Free online complete ground school for teens.
This course will prepare you to take ground school flight test. And then also offers a free first flight for flight school.
visit EAA.com flight plan http://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation-education-and-resources/eaa-youth-education/eaa-young-eagles-program/eaa-flight-plan
My son has taken this course 2 times.
Geared toward high school, but my son took it when younger and took in what he could. Then re-took the course. He learned so much!