Getting Kids Off the Ground

By Belen Ward

National effort, regional impact

The EAA Chapter 301, based out of Parker, has two locations that support the Young Eagles – The Wings Museum Exploration of Flight facility at Centennial Airport and Colorado Air and Spaceport. Colorado Air and Spaceport has supported the program for more than 15 years with more than 2,000 Young Eagles flown. The Wings Museum Flight Facility location provides the classroom and space on the ramp outside the building for the flights.

“We have eight pilots and aircrafts flying about between 22 and about 26 kids at each rally,” said Tom Letts, Young Eagles Field Representative who manages the program at Centennial.

The Young Eagles also have chapters based out of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, the airports in Boulder, Erie, Longmont, and Englewood’s Colorado Skies Academy.