Young Eagles flight rally on Saturday

Area young people ages 8-17 will have a chance to take to the skies on International Young Eagles Day, June 11, as Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 46 hosts a Young Eagles Flight Rally at the Lancaster Airport.

The rally is part of the EAA Young Eagles Program, created to interest young people in aviation. Since the program was launched in 1992, Volunteer EAA pilots have flown more than 1.6 million young people who reside in more than 90 countries.

Although the program is operated on a year-round basis, International Young Eagles Day has annually been celebrated on the second Saturday of June since 1994. During last year's International Young Eagles Day, more than 6,000 children took flight throughout the world.

"We're very pleased with the continuing support for International Young Eagles Day," said EAA president and CEO Rod Hightower. "Young people not only enjoy an airplane ride, but also have a chance to discover the world of flight with an experienced volunteer pilot. We thank everyone who continues to bring aviation to a new generation of enthusiasts."

"Free airplane rides are just part of the Flight Rally," said Paul Quenzler of Alden, 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."

Pilots at the event will also explain more about their airplanes, allowing young people to discover how airplanes work and how pilots ensure safety is the prime objective with every flight.

Following the flight, each young person, will receive a certificate making him or her 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 Web at www.youngeagles.org.

Along with flight rallies, EAA members also fly Young Eagles on an individual basis. Each pilot volunteers his time and aircraft so the flights can be provided free of charge for interested young people.

Those wishing to attend the flight rally on June 11 are asked to register at the EAA Chapter 46 website (http://www.eaa46.org/). Those not able to register online may go to the Lancaster Airport, starting at 9 a.m. to register for their flight. Flights will begin at 9 a.m.

For further information on the program, contact Quenzler at 684-0735. The Lancaster Airport is located on Walden Avenue near Pavement Road in the Town of Lancaster. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held the following Saturday on June 18.

Additional information about EAA and the EAA Young Eagles program is available at www.eaa.org. The Young Eagles web page is www.youngeagles.org.