Alaska youth take to the sky at the Palmer Air Fair&Rendezvous

Palmer, AK-It was a pleasant day in Alaska for bystanders but an exciting day for the Young Eagles who got to fly with pilots from the Anchorage Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 42.
Organized by former FedEx pilot Ed White, three pilots and their aircraft flew 25 young people in the Young Eagle Program from seven to seventeen as an introduction to aviation.
White flying N2525Z a Cessna 185, Dave Schwartz flew his Aeronca Sedan N1354H, and Rick Henry who impressed his passengers in N727RH a Mini-Mustang that he built.
The event was part of a daylong session called the Youth Aviation Adventure Event that was just one of many seminars held at the Palmer Air Fair and Rendezvous on July 24.
The day started out with a visit from Alaska’s Lt. Governor Craig Campbell who visited a mile of events along the 5,000 foot runway.
The Adventure Event lasted over four hours during other seminars on aviation safety, a short field landing and take-off assessment sponsored by the Alaska Chapter of the Ninety Nines and a series of workshops held by the Federal Aviation on statistics of accidents, how to survive and return and a bevy of vendors selling aviation an d outdoor related accessories.
The Medallion Foundation offered its PA-18 Super Cub simulator for pilots to experience that was popular up to the final minutes of the scheduled events.
The Young Eagle program offers a flight in an aircraft, a chance to actually feel the controls and how the airplane flies. After they land a Young Eagle receives a certificate, a log book signed by their pilot and a certificate for an online study and test from Sporty’s (aviation supplies) for the real Federal Aviation Administration Private Pilot knowledge test. If they take the test and pass the exam, they then receive a coupon for an hour of dual instruction toward their Private Pilot rating…all for free.
Today the Young Eagles received a ground schooling session sponsored and organized by Angie Slingluff a FAA aviation and aerospace educator. Volunteers explained how aircraft fly, aviation safety, engines, identification, airport operations, careers in aviation and aviation maintenance before being grouped for a session with EAA Chapter 42 volunteer Keith Gordon who explained the preflight inspection and explained what a pilot is looking for before taking an aircraft aloft.
Once they finished the preflight section the youngsters were then prioritized by Jim McCarthy who made sure that their waiver and paperwork was signed, they were then turned over to the pilot who would take them flying.
Again each pilot walked around their aircraft explaining a pre-flight inspection and pointing out the control surfaces that control the various attitudes of the aircraft in-flight. After the Young Eagles boarded their aircraft they were given instruction on how the seatbelts worked, where the emergency gear was stored and how to exit the aircraft in case of a dire situation.
The result was a success, upon return from her flight with Rick Henry, Brook McPheters exclaimed that she loved flying.
“I got to fly, I got to fly the plane,” said McPheters. “When I grow up I want to be a Thunderbird pilot."
The scene was similar throughout the day, a bit of apprehension before the flights, but upon their flight's return big ear-to-ear smiles.
Tanner Welsh summed up his experience before the canopy of his aircraft was opened, grinning ear-to ear with both thumbs up the 11-year old was thrilled and could only say, “Awesome, Awesome, this was really awesome.”
Rob Stapleton can be reached at: robstapleton @alaska.net