EAA Visits Chapter 1126 Young Eagles Rally, Participates in June’s #AvChallenge

June 8, 2016 - International Young Eagles Day may be scheduled for June 11 but EAA staffers made a flight to Timmins, Ontario, Canada, on June 4 to visit EAA Chapter 1126 and enjoy their annual Young Eagles rally.  Timmins area EAA member Lloyd Richards, EAA 171396, who was instrumental in the founding of the Young Eagles program made it his goal to have an annual Young Eagles rally in his home town and after 24 years it’s one of the longest running rallies anywhere.

Brian O’Lena and Michelle Kunes from the Young Eagles office, Education Director Bret Steffen, videographer Jim Soyk, and pilot Kevin Loppnow attended the Timmins rally, which is well supported by the local community. Timmins/Victor M. Power Airport was the setting for the event and airport Manager Dave Dayment worked to assure the ramp and terminal space was available for the for the crowds and aircraft. Chapter 1126 President Marc Talbot, EAA 404420, and many other chapter volunteers supplied the labor to staff the planes, ramp, check-in process, and food. Yes, food: The chapter offers each kid a hotdog or hamburger and drink after their flight.

Before their flights, kids had the opportunity to checkout various larger aircraft on the ramp including an Air Creebec Dash 8, a Thunder Airlines Beechcraft KingAir and a PC12 air ambulance. More than 150 Young Eagles Flights where provided by the volunteer pilots and at times it was hard to tell who was having more fun, the kids or the volunteers.