Former Young Eagle and EAA Chapter 13 Ray Aviation Scholarship recipient, Randall Novak, paid it forward and flew his first Young Eagles passenger on Sunday, May 16.
“Being a pilot is something I have always wanted to do since I was a child,” Randall Novak, EAA 1209845, said. “Ever since I was young, I always liked looking at airplanes either on TV or just looking at them in the sky.”
Randall recalls visiting an aviation museum with his grandfather and being fascinated.
“I got interested in aviation when me and my grandpa went to the Yankee Air Museum and got lost,” Randall said. “We ended up at the Yankee Air Force hangar and got to see their B-17, C-47, and B-25. It was an unforgettable experience and made me want to fly when I was older.”
Randall started attending Young Eagles events in Ray, Michigan, and eventually decided to join the local chapter.
“I went to a few of their Young Eagles events, and I wanted to get involved at the airport so I joined the chapter and went to as many meetings as I could,” he said.
On December 10, 2020, Randall earned his private pilot certificate. Not long after, Randall decided he wanted to pay it forward by flying his first Young Eagle.
“I was a Young Eagle for years and wanted to do it myself and I enjoyed myself doing it,” he said. “I was a little nervous at first but once we took off, I saw it as a great way to teach kids about flying and I thought it was really cool having them take the controls and fly the plane.”