EAA Eagle Flights
By Brian O’Lena, EAA Lifetime 645286, Manager Young Eagles and Eagle Flights
August 2016 - To grow participation in aviation — that is EAA’s mission. We do that in many ways at EAA, though our chapter network, Young Eagles, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, aircraft building, Sport Air workshops, the EAA AirVenture Museum, Pioneer Airport, Air Academy, and the B-17 and Tri-Motor touring programs.
Now more than ever it’s time to introduce adults who have expressed an interest in flying to a flight in a recreational airplane. As an EAA member, take the time to introduce an adult friend, neighbor, or a perhaps someone you work with and share your passion for flight with an Eagle Flight.
The EAA Eagle Flight program is intended to be an informal mentoring program that helps expose adults to aviation and guides them towards whatever engagement fits their lifestyle. We hope the one-on-one Eagle Flight experience will help them move towards becoming a pilot, but most importantly, we want to you establish an ongoing relationship, nurture their interest in aviation, and invite them to join our community.
We all participate in aviation in various ways. Some of us fly, others are aviation enthusiasts, but we are all part of a wonderful community. Please consider being a mentor by taking someone flying and help him or her understand your passion for aviation and EAA.
Why should you become a mentor? There are many reasons; perhaps the most compelling is to pay it forward. Many of us in aviation had positive role models who encouraged us to pursue our dreams of flight, and maybe now is the time for you to become an Eagle Flights mentor and make that kind of difference in someone else’s life.
It’s simple to become a mentor pilot in the program. We have developed a Mentor Pilot Handbook and other support materials to help you better understand how the program works.
To learn more about Eagle Flights and how you can share your passion for aviation, visit eaa.org/eagleflights