Record day for Young Eagles at the Weiser Airport Family Fun Day event
EAA Chapter 837, with the generous help from Chapter 103 of Nampa,
Idaho, set a chapter record for the number of Young Eagles flown in one day. Several
members of Chapter 837 are also members of Chapter 103 so the word gets around fast
about area aviation events. This particular Young Eagles’ day was in conjunction with
the Weiser Airport Family Fun Day in Weiser, Idaho on May 10, 2003. The event was
expected to draw about a hundred kids, but just about double that were flown that day.
The event was well advertised in the local media, including the appearance of the
Warhawk Air Museum’s P-40 Warhawk, so a large turnout was expected. The free flights
were also advertised through the use of a flight coupon. These were simply tickets that
were passed out to kids and left at various businesses in the area. They represented a
tangible link to the free flight and also provided a reminder for the upcoming event.
The day was well organized even with the large turnout. Chapter 103 provided their
portable computer to print certificates in addition to the help in planes, pilots and
ground crew. The combination of the two chapters provided a learning experience for
improvement in upcoming Young Eagles’ events. The successful coordination of the two
chapters provides a blueprint for future large-scale programs.
After the dust had settled, the official tally for the day was 197 Young Eagles.
The total number of passengers well exceeded that because of parents tagging along.
With the large turnout, some pilots provided flights for more than thirty kids, with
some flying all day. Hopefully, this will not deter them from participating in future events.
The pictures to the right show the process from registration through the flight and
certificate presentation, a well coordinated effort by all involved.
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