EAA chapters are successfully implementing the Young Eagles Build and Fly program to teach young people more about building, flying, and having fun with aviation. EAA Chapters 172 and 1246 are two of the first to get their kits done, as they were part of the beta test of the program, so they had some valuable insight to share on how it works.
The EAA Young Eagles Build and Fly program is an intensive RC model building and flying initiative to introduce youth to aircraft construction and the fundamentals of flight. This is a chapter modeling “program in a box” designed for EAA chapters to partner with local Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) clubs to engage Young Eagles participants and other youth.
The program kit includes an SIG electric-powered eKadet LT-40 kit, including all building materials, electronics, and accessories, a Horizon Hobby Vapor indoor RC model, and a copy of the RealFlight 9 RC flight simulator. The only things the chapter and club need to provide are the volunteers, a space to house the program, and a computer to run RealFlight 9.
EAA Chapter 172 received its Young Eagles Build and Fly kit in May 2019, but needed help with some facets of the project, including finding a suitable space for it. Luckily, local AMA club member Vern Horne was ready and willing to help. Vern, who was part of the Augusta RC Academy at the time, secured a room at a building at the local airport, and provided tons of other support, including helping to find young people to take on the project!
Chapter 172 held its first build session in June, when the chapter welcomed the first six of an eventual 13 young people who would help with the project. Due to outside factors and other activities going on, the chapter was forced to take some breaks in building, but still managed to complete the build by October, with weather pushing the first flight back to November.
Vern took the controls for the first flight and ran into some pitch oscillations, which led him to make a few quick adjustments before letting the young builders get a turn on the controls. Despite the build being occasionally delayed and the final aircraft needing a few on-the-fly adjustments, Jim Maher of Chapter 172 said the program was great.
“Once Vern felt the aircraft was flying stable enough, we recharged the batteries, and then he got the aircraft airborne and let the first two youths take turns flying the aircraft,” Jim said. “After another recharge session, two more of the youths got their turns to fly the aircraft. The aircraft had a total of four flights with five pilots at the controls. All in all, the program was a great success.”
Chapter 1246, on the other hand, was able to build in a hangar loaned by a gentleman at the airport. Their build began in earnest in August after getting the build spot squared away, and concluded in October due to concentrated three-hour build sessions on Saturday mornings.
Chapter 1246’s local AMA club was the Richardson Radio Control Club, and Tim Bokmeyer of Chapter 1246 said that group was a perfect accompaniment for the program.
“The Richardson Radio Control Club was a joy to work with,” Tim said. “They provided us with five gentlemen who are master builders and expert flyers. They were very patient with the students and would show and then let them do.”
After those few months of working on the kit, Tim said the young people involved with the build were thrilled to see their hard work take flight.
“On the day of completion, our instructors showed the students how to set the plane up for flight and then we proceeded to Richardson Radio Control Club’s flying field,” Tim said. “After the initial flight by the instructor, all the young people that had participated in the build were able to fly the model. Obviously, they were all very excited to see what they had built fly.”
Jim said he would advise chapters interested in the program to find a committed AMA member like Vern to support to project, a safe location for the build and then another one for the flight, and to ensure dedicated chapter members are prepared for a long-term project. Jim also said the “when” matters, in addition to the “who” and the “where.”
“Timing is important for when you start the build,” he said. “We started in springtime and our sessions were well attended until the summer, when school got out and the youth began vacations with their family and were not available to build.”
Looking back at the successful implementation of the Young Eagles Build and Fly program, Tim said one of the most important aspects on the chapter’s side of things was making sure a set build area was decided upon before getting the kit.
“Have a designated build area before receiving the model,” Tim said. “Our chapter had none and it took several months to finally find someone to let us set up and work in his hangar. This really turned out well, as he had several planes in the hanger and the instructors were able to take the students out to the planes and show them wing shapes and different parts of a real airplane.”