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Columbia, Ky. – June 6, 2006 – EAA Chapter 657 (Vine Grove, Ky.) took a unique route to help ensure their goal of flying 100 Young Eagles this year is reached. They set up and supported a Young Eagles event at the Columbia – Adair County, Ky. Airport -- 53 miles from their home airport.
Chapter 657 Young Eagle Coordinator Dick Ardisson was contacted by Carla Kirkland of the Adair County School System requesting information on possible EAA Chapters that may be located near her school that would be willing to give several students an opportunity to become Young Eagles. Kirkland was familiar with Young Eagles, having been a member of EAA Chapter 59 in Waco, Tex.
After several calls, Ardisson presented a proposal to Chapter 657 members during their April meeting. The plan was that several pilots would fly to the Columbia – Adair County Airport (I96) to provide flights to the students. On May 20, five pilots and four aircraft left Vine Grove Airport (70KY), and upon arriving in Columbia were welcomed by students, teachers, and parents.
The event began with a short presentation on the EAA Young Eagles program, followed by a ground school presentation, including safety, and an explanation of the gauges on the instrument panel using the Chapter’s simulator. Following this, the children were paired up with the pilots in an Aeronca Champ, a Swift, a Cessna Skyhawk and a Cessna Cardinal. A total of 19 children flew with the Chapter.
Kirkland thanked the operators of the Columbia – Adair County Airport, including Buddy Sewell from the Air Board, who helped with the event, the pilots, Dick Ardisson, Mike Norton, Dennie Morris, Bobby Lynch and Norman Houglan, as well as the parents for making Chapter 657’s first Young Eagles activity for 2006 a resounding success.
According to Ardisson, the participating pilots greatly enjoyed the whole effort; the flight to and from Columbia was as much fun for them as flying the Young Eagles. Ardisson added that the event has been the topic of several conversations around the airport in Vine Grove. Several more dates have been set for Young Eagle flights this year, and EAA Chapter 657 is confident that their goal of 100 new Young Eagles will be exceeded.
To date, Chapter 657 has flown more than 1,050 Young Eagles. Additional information on EAA Chapter 657 is available at www.eaa657.org.
---Norm Houglan, Chapter 657 Newsletter Editor
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Students and parents wait in the airport lounge for the arrival of the pilots from Vine Grove, Ky.
Pilot Mike Norton (right) talks to two new Young Eagles as they discuss their flight in the Swift.
Pilots Dick Ardisson, Dennie Morris, Event Coordinator Carla Kirkland, Pilots Bobby Lynch, Norm Houglan and Mike Norton pose for a group photo at the end of an exciting and rewarding day.
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