Young Eagles

The Young Eagles Program

The EAA Young Eagles program was launched in 1992 to give interested young people, ages 8 - 17, an opportunity to go flying in a general aviation airplane. These flights are offered free of charge and are made possible through the generosity of EAA member volunteers. Since 1992, more than 1.1 million Young Eagles have enjoyed a flight through the program. Young Eagles have been registered in more than 90 different countries and have been flown by nearly 40,000 volunteer pilots.

Since Young Eagles began in 1992, there have been three Chairmen. All are active pilots and have flown Young Eagles. The first chairman (1992- 1994) was Academy-Award winning actor Cliff Robertson. Mr. Robertson was followed by Gen. Chuck Yeager (1994 – 2003). Of course Gen. Yeager is known as a famous test pilot and the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound. Now, Harrison Ford has taken over for Gen. Yeager.
You might recognize Harrison Ford from his numerous movie roles, but Harrison Ford is also an experienced pilot and Chairman of the EAA Young Eagles program. Mr. Ford earned his pilot’s certificate in 1996 and joined EAA. Since then he has also earned several additional ratings including seaplane, rotorcraft (helicopters) and an instrument rating. He also owns several aircraft including a deHavilland Beaver and helicopter.
As Chairman, Mr. Ford promotes the EAA Young Eagles program when possible and plans to attend the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Fly-In. Mr. Ford has flown nearly 200 Young Eagles since becoming involved in the program in 2001.

Treasure Valley Chapter 103’s Young Eagles Program - Chapter 103 pilots have been involved flying the youth of Treasure Valley since 1992 one at a time and, occasionally, in larger groups at events we call Young Eagle rallies. These individual pilots have flown from one to more than one thousand Young Eagles each. At the beginning of 2003 the Chapter set a goal to fly 1000 Young Eagles during the year, and 1400 young people were registered and flown by chapter 103 pilots in 2003.

In the years since 2003 the Chapter's Young Eagle Program has continued to promote the flight of young people and have sponsored a number of rallies about the valley. The program is ongoing with individual pilots flying candidates whom they know or joining in to fly groups at organized events. Our pilots are volunteers who put their time and airplane at our disposal when flying Young Eagles, absorbing the majority of the expenses themselves.

Participation is easy. If you are or know a young person between the ages of 8 and 17 who has not had the opportunity to fly with the Young Eagle Program, or a group leader of qualified young persons, simply contact our Young Eagles Coordinator listed on the officers page of this website. They will make arrangements for a date and time to fly your Young Eagles. See A Young Eagle Flight.

Next Scheduled Young Eagle Event

How safe is flying?

Most pilots will tell you that the most dangerous part of flying is the drive to the airport. Each Young Eagle flight takes place in an FAA registered airplane flown by a licensed pilot. The flight is conducted according to federal regulations. No aerobatic or non-standard maneuvers will be performed.

Other EAA Youth Programs
Kid Venture - fun things for kids to do during Air Venture each summer.
EAA Air Academy - an aviation camp for different age youths during the summer each year.
AERO Scholars - an online aviation course for high school students
Scholarships and Internships - scholarships for qualified students seeking aviation careers and internships at EAA.

The Eagle Flight

One of our Young Eagle Pilots, Jared Aicher, planned an around the world trip, where he would stop in several countries to fly Young Eagles. Jared flew over one hundred Young Eagles while visiting 41 states during his 2005 Phase 1 Eagle Flight. To see the Eagle Flight plans and keep updated as Jared progresses with his around the world adventure, check his web site The Eagle Flight.