Sonoma pilots help ‘Young Eagles’ take flight

Sonoma pilot Darrel Jones has now given more than 300 young people a free demonstration airplane ride as part of worldwide program introducing a new generation to the world of flight.

Jones is among more than 50,000 global volunteers around the world who have donated their time and aircraft to the effort to the Young Eagles program, an initiative of the Experimental Aircraft Association. 

All pilots in the Young Eagles program explain to their young the safe operation of airplanes and principles of flying. After the flight, participants become official Young Eagles.

EAA Chapter 1268 in Sonoma at Sonoma Skypark Airport holds monthly Young Eagles flights for kids 8 to 17 years old  on the second Sunday of each month from 9 to 11:30 am, weather permitting. The club makes 15 to 20 Young Eagle flights each month.

The names of the pilots and the participants are all included in the “World’s Largest Logbook,” which is on permanent display in the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and online through the Young Eagles website.  Young Eagles also have access to an online pilot training course, made possible by Sporty’s Pilot Shops, located in Batavia, Ohio.

The Young Eagles Program, begin by the EAA in 1992 and has now flown more than 2 million young people.

EAA is a worldwide organization with over 200,000 members who enjoy all facets of recreational flight.  The Young Eagles program goal is to allow young people to experience positive activities and discover the possibilities available to them within the world of aviation.  For more information, visit www.youngeagles.org.