EAA Young Eagles

Everyday people ask me, “What is Young Eagles?” That is an interesting question with a very simple answer.  The Young Eagles Program is part of the EAA National Young Eagles program.   This Program is Hosted by EAA Chapter 180 based at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.  Ok, maybe that doesn’t really answer it for you, so how is this:

What Is The EAA Young Eagles Program?

EAA Young Eagles is an exciting program for Kids.  It consists of a group of dedicated volunteer Pilot’s who enjoy sharing their love of aviation with local kids.  In this event, a child ages 8-17 is paired up with a highly qualified Pilot and an airplane and they go flying!  The point of Young Eagles is to introduce today’s youth, both boys and girls to Aviation and Flying and is provided free of cost to the families which bring their children.

AT EAA Chapter 180, we make this experience and introduction to aviation a fun and memorable occasion for local youth.  Not only do they get to go flying, but they get to see what Pilots do such as Pre-Flighting the Airplane, Checking Weather Radar and Pilot Information Systems, but they also get to see how people actually become a Pilot!   At the end of the experience, each child is presented with a Special Certificate with a Photo of them, the Pilot and the Airplane, A Logbook (Ages 12-17), and their name gets entered into the worlds largest logbook maintained by EAA in Oskkosh Wisconsin!

The Young Eagles Program is an exciting journey for children ages 8 through 17, into the world of aviation! Most kids these days have wondered what thier neighborhood looks like from the sky! Or maybe you’re curious how airplanes even work. Well the days of dreaming of flying like a bird in the sky and soaring next to the clouds are soon to become a reality.

The Young Eagles Program is part of the EAA National Young Eagles program. This Program is Hosted by EAA Chapter 180 based at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

Turn Young Dreams Into A New Reality

Each month, EAA Chapter 180 hosts a Young Eagles Day which is free for any child ages 8-17 to attend. Here you or your child will meet one of our highly trained Pilots. Your Pilot begins the experience by engaging in your first “Pre-Flight Briefing”. Here each new Young Eagle will learn about the airport from which we fly, items of interest and all the information experienced Pilots use every day.

After the Pre-Flight Briefing, the new Young Eagle will assist the Pilot in performing a Pre-Flight Inspection of their assigned aircraft. Our Pilots take the time to introduce the various components of an airplane, what they are for and how they work. Young Eagles are often amazed at the sheer construction and controls of these fine aircraft. As the excitement begins to build and Young Eagle Eyes are wide open with delight, it’s time to get seated, and buckle up for the Air Adventure that dreams were made of!

Our Pilots will take the new Young Eagle for a local flight around the Sarasota / Bradenton area. Here the Young Eagle will see the world from a whole new angle! Your Pilot will explain the different gauges, and controls of the airplane, and if your a lucky Young Eagle, you might even get to take hold of the controls and fly the plane yourself!

What Comes Next?

After each new Young Eagle completes their introductory journey, they will receive an Autographed Photo of them, their pilot, and the aircraft. Then your Pilot will present you with your first Young Eagles Pilot Logbook, with the first flight as an entry into their future of aviation.

Thanks to EAA, the logbook has a code just for you to activate your EAA Student Membership. Student membership is full of exciting opportunities just for you — EAA Sport Aviation Magazine Online, E-newsletters, Members-Only Website, Academy of Model Aeronautics Student Membership, Free Admission to 300+ Science and Technology Museums and more!

Watch this exciting video to learn more about Young Eagles or visit www.youngeagles.org

To register your child for their FREE First Young Eagles Flight, please fill out the Pre-Registration/Reservation Form:

To save time at on the day of the event, you may download the required Parental Consent and Young Eagles Registration Forms here.

The event is held on the 3rd saturday of each month. The event begins with a FREE Pancake Breakfast at 8:00 am and Flying Begins at 9:00am until 1:00pm. Final Registration is at 12:00pm, one hour before the end of the event. The event is located at:

Dolphin Aviation
8191 N Tamiami Trl
Sarasota, FL 34243

We really hope to see you there!

Edwin B. ‘Chip’ Miller
EAA Chapter 180 Young Eagle Coordinator
941-356-0591 (Cell)
941-366-7606 (Message)
E-mail: chipthefireman@comcast.net

Why Is Young Eagles So Important?

Aviation offers individuals an opportunity for an exciting sport, a means of hindered transportation and for many a great career!  Unfortunately the world is lacking Pilot’s and soon this will impact all of us.  This lack of Pilots both in General and Commercial Aviation is largely due to the lack of introduction to aviation.  In the 1940′s and 1950′s airports were new and exciting and people aspired to fly and soar the skies!  Today, most of our youth is pushed into business management and sales careers, and as airports become more “secure”, many of today’s youth miss out on the excitement and potential that is held within Aviation.  This is why the Young Eagles program is not only an exciting thing for kids, but an important part of educating today’s youth on a commonly overlooked career path!

Many people make a statement that Pilots only earn $30,000 a year to start.  This may be true in todays aviation world, but what they don’t tell you is that it doesn’t take long before a Pilot can earn over 6 figures a year!  Oh and did we mention that they get to fly huge, fast jets?!

To learn more about the details of the Young Eagles Program, or to attend our next event, click here!