The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

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October 26, 2009

'Young Eagles' can benefit from free airplane ride

Charles Oliver

Aviation group EAA will hold a Young Eagles event on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Dalton Municipal Airport starting at around 10 a.m. About two dozen children ages eight to 17 will get a 15- to 20-minute co-pilot’s seat ride in a small airplane flown by a local pilot. Parents of children who are interested should call the airport at (706) 259-2200 to register. Space is limited, so sponsors advise parents to call as soon as possible.



Lots of children dream of flying an aircraft. Some two dozen Dalton area children will get a chance to get as close to flying a plane as possible in November

On Nov. 7, EAA, an aviation group, will sponsor a Young Eagles event at the Dalton Municipal Airport. About four local pilots will take children between the ages of eight and 17 up for a ride in their planes.

“This won’t be a back seat, look-out-the-window ride,” said pilot and EAA member Roger Rollins.

Each child will get to sit in the co-pilot’s seat and get an up-close view of the controls. Each flight will last about 15 to 20 minutes, and one child will be taken up at a time. The flights will start around 10 a.m.

Those who are interested should call Crystal Air, the operator of the Dalton Municipal Airport, at (706) 259-2200.

Because space is limited, Rollins said parents should call as soon as possible.

Rollins said the event helps promote general aviation, the non-commercial aspect of civil aviation, which depends on small planes and small airports.

“General aviation is a seedbed for an awful lot of good things that go on in our country and our economy. Most of the military pilots, astronauts, airline pilots end up there as a result of some experience they have had with general aviation,” he said. “Giving a kid a ride in an airplane may spark an enthusiasm or a quest that could result in something really significant.”

Each child who completes the ride will receive a log book to record the flight from EAA.

“That flight will also be recorded in EAA headquarters in what they call the world’s largest log book,” Rollins said.

Each child will also get a registration number to take online free courses that could help them pass the written part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s written pilot’s test.

“This is a good, fast start for a person who wants to learn how to fly,” Rollins said.



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