In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the EAA Young Eagles program in 2017, we’re featuring 25 Young Eagles whose stories inspire and exemplify the impact of the program.
Twenty-year-old pilot Amy White said she’ll fly “anything they’ll let me get my hands on.” That passion for all things that fly is something Amy said started when she was young but didn’t take form until later when she started flying RC aircraft and eventually took her Young Eagles ride.
“The Edenton airport fly-in event was hosting Young Eagle rides. I was quite nervous and hesitant, I will admit,” she said. “My neighbor, who taught me to fly remote controlled airplanes, convinced me to go. I remember he talked about how amazing the views are and how I really should grab this opportunity to see for myself.”
Amy took her Young Eagles flight in a 1956 Cessna 170B in 2010 and said it definitely lived up to expectations.
“To this day I remember thinking how amazing airplanes are, trying to take in everything I could during taxi out to the runway,” she said. “From that day I have never looked back. I even have extreme difficulty remembering what it was like before I knew what it was like to fly.”
Since that first flight Amy has been working towards making her childhood dream of being a pilot come true; she’s an instrument rated commercial pilot and said she is preparing for her flight instructor checkride, thanks in part to the Young Eagles program.
“The Young Eagles program ignites the spark in people like myself who may have an underlying passion for flying, but no avenue to pursue it, or knowledge of where to start,” she said. “The Sporty’s course provided to me was crucial in the process.”
Amy encouraged young people not to get disheartened if becoming a pilot seems too difficult or too expensive.
“Go. Do. Become a pilot,” she said. “If aviation is truly your passion, you will never find anything as rewarding as being pilot in command of an aircraft, grasping pure freedom and joy as you maneuver it through the sky.”
If you or someone you know has a Young Eagles story to share, e-mail us at khollidaygreenley@eaa.org. You can also share your Young Eagles photos or video with us on Twitter and Instagram using #YoungEagles25.
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