EAA Honors Young Eagles Volunteers

July 30, 2015 - The support of volunteers is what enables EAA’s Young Eagles program to introduce young people to the world of aviation. Each of the 2016 Young Eagles Volunteer awards winners, who were honored at the Young Eagles awards dinner Wednesday night, have done their part to share The Spirit of Aviation with the next generation.

The recipients of this year’s awards are:

• Al Moyer, of Amanda, OH – Outstanding Chapter Coordinator
• John Mininger, of Quakertown, PA – Phillips 66 Leadership Award
• Jim Casper, of Oshkosh, WI – Outstanding Ground Volunteer

Moyer has been involved with the program since it began in 1992 and said he’s amazed at how much its grown.

“It’s really surprising,” Moyer said. “I remember the first year when [the chapter] was lucky to fly 10 total. It just gradually caught on and over the years, and now I have people I’ve flown coming back with their kids to fly.”

Even after flying 846 Young Eagles, Moyer said he’s still rewarded by the reactions of the kids he flies. “The ones who are enthusiastic make it worthwhile, really,” Moyer said. “It’s the only reason why we do it; well, why I do it anyway.”

Mininger said he doesn’t think the average young person has an opportunity to become exposed to personal or general aviation in their daily lives; and that’s why he dedicates so much of his time to Young Eagles.  

“A lot of us got our start or got interested in aviation because of some experience when we were younger with a family member or a friend who flew, and that’s what sort of opened our eyes and made us realize that this was a possibility,” Mininger said.