By Neil Bowden, EAA Chapter 973 President
A special buzz filled @Jack’s, the EAA Chapter 973 hangar, on March 28. The much-anticipated prelude to International Young Eagles Day had arrived at Jack Taylor Airfield, Krugersdorp, South Africa, and we were proud to host it in our home at Hangar E10.
At last, the weather played along — an endless Highveld blue autumn sky stretched above us. Fields of cosmos flowers nodded their approval in just enough of a breeze to remind us we were, after all, at Krugersdorp airfield.
This event was the result of a collaboration between Chapter 973 and JJ le Grange, director of the NPC, Youth Aviation Network. JJ established the organisation in response to a very real challenge within South Africa’s aviation sector: a shrinking pipeline of young people entering the industry.
Across both civil and general aviation, there is growing concern about ageing pilot populations, a shortage of technical skills, and limited exposure for young people to aviation careers. Initiatives like this are not simply “nice to have” — they are essential if the industry is to sustain itself into the future.
JJ’s passion for creating opportunity for youngsters aligns perfectly with the ethos of EAA, and his enthusiasm proved infectious.
He was soon joined by Janine Loubser — a principal at Welridge Academy and the ever-supportive “co-pilot” to her husband Johan — who embraced the challenge of identifying young candidates. The brief was simple but meaningful: find children with both aptitude and curiosity. Janine reached out to neighbouring schools, including Bastion, which has a strong technical focus in its curriculum. The aim was not just to inspire future pilots, but potential engineers, builders, AMOs, instructors — the full spectrum of aviation.
Of course, curiosity alone was more than enough to earn a seat. But the broader aim was clear: to create a platform that could be replicated and built upon — one that identifies and nurtures future aviation talent in a meaningful way.
In the weeks leading up to the event, a call went out to the pilot community for volunteers.
The response was overwhelming. Among the generous contributions was Martin Steer of Exellentia Flight School, who offered a Sling 2 training aircraft complete with instructor Devan.
On the day, @Jack’s came alive with the excited chatter of 40 children. While parents and guardians completed indemnity forms, the Chapter 973 committee moved seamlessly into position.
Vanessa Hopper managed registrations with her usual efficiency, and once complete, I officially opened proceedings with a warm welcome and safety briefing. From there, chapter secretary TC Schultz and tech guru Kevin Hopper took over, carefully allocating children to aircraft.
The newly appointed safety officer at Jack Taylor, Reyno Coetzer, played a key role in guiding pilots safely into the sky, no small task when managing a collection of strong Type A personalities.
We were fortunate to have a mix of aircraft available, including two RV-10s and a Jabiru J430, allowing multiple children to fly at once. The two-seaters worked steadily through multiple rotations — not that a single pilot seemed to mind.
In fact, quite the opposite.
My young passenger asked thoughtful, curious questions throughout the flight and was absolutely delighted when I handed over the controls. Her touch on the controls was gentle and intuitive — smoother, I dare say, than many seasoned pilots!
The children ranged in age from 7 to 18, but the outcome was universal: wide smiles and bright eyes on every return to the hangar.
After their flights, they were treated to hot dogs and cold drinks by Carolyn and Brenda, while Neil and Vanessa prepared personalised certificates. The final flight of the morning went to a mother and her two four-year-old twins — a fitting and heartfelt conclusion.
In just two hours, we flew 38 children (and one very happy mom). As the last aircraft returned, the clouds began to build — perfect timing for our pilots to make their way home ahead of the blossoming cumulus.
Each child was called forward to receive their certificate, along with a small wooden set of wings. If the flights themselves weren’t reward enough, the pride on their faces certainly was.
Having been involved in similar initiatives before, I have no doubt that something meaningful was sparked in at least a few of those young minds.
It is one thing to offer a child the opportunity to experience flight. It is quite another to realise that, in doing so, you may have quietly shaped the trajectory of a future career — and perhaps even the future of aviation itself.
If we are to secure the future of aviation in South Africa, the focus must remain on creating meaningful access and sustained interest among the youths.
Days like these are where that journey begins — not measured purely in how many take to the sky, but in how many leave with a spark that refuses to fade.