By Seunghee Kang, EAA 1569703
Are you looking for a rewarding job as a pilot?
Pilots, do you remember the happiness and sense of achievement that you got after getting that private pilot certificate to start off your careers? You’ll also get the same feeling as you get closer to your dream as an airline pilot with an instrument rating and a commercial, and as you attain CFI, CFII, and MEI certifications to teach budding pilot candidates. Then, is there anything us pilots can do in our daily lives to make ourselves proud outside of making money?
As a flight instructor, I commute in a pilot’s uniform. One day, I ran into some kids from my neighborhood beaming at me and my uniform in awe. And then, they began to shower me with questions. “Is it scary to be in a plane in the air? What if the plane gets broken in the air? Can you touch clouds in the sky? Can we see our houses from above? That’s cool, I want to be a pilot, too. Fly me, too,” etc. I couldn’t ignore their sparkling curious eyes, so I promised them I would volunteer to rent a light airplane and take them on discovery flights.
Later, in March 2023, to give these kids an opportunity to fly around, I rented a Cessna 172 at KMGM (Montgomery Regional Airport) and flew around Alabama. I showed them the Hyundai Motor plant in Montgomery, Alabama, reached the clouds as close as was safe and legal to show them, showed them nearby airports, and tried my best to have them experience as much as possible so they would keep their dreams going. Fortunately, the weather was good enough for us to see all the mountains, rivers, and houses in Alabama. I felt immense joy when I saw the kids’ excited smiles. As I saw them affirming their hopes to be a pilot in the future, I was so proud that I spent the day giving these kids hopes about their future. I was proud that I could help others, and that I helped these kids dream. It felt so good to be a pilot.
Then, I started searching the internet for ways I could contribute to helping children dream of becoming a pilot. I discovered the Young Eagles volunteer program with EAA Chapter 960 in Lawrenceville, which allows young people to experience flying every third Saturday. Since then, I’ve joined EAA and been participating in activities where I’m taking hopeful children on discovery flights to help their dreams grow.
Located at the KLZU airport in Lawrenceville, Georgia, EAA Chapter 960 regularly provides various aviation-related activities. Since 1992, the Young Eagles program allows young people from 8 to 17 years old to experience flying in a GA aircraft for free, made possible courtesy of EAA volunteer members. I am sure that this program is meaningful because it introduces kids to the world of aviation and inspires them. There are various programs other than Young Eagles that are set to help educate young pilots. If you are a pilot who is looking for meaningful volunteering experience instead of work,be sure to check out their various volunteer programs at EAA690.org.