Young Eagles took flight in Washington

WASHINGTON — After the initially scheduled Young Eagles Rally was grounded due to weather concerns last month, eager aviation enthusiasts gathered at the Washington Municipal Airport over the weekend to take flight.

Local pilots volunteer their time and air crafts from Chapter 33 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) welcomed flyers ranging from 8-17 years of age to the event designed to “introduce and inspire kids in the world of aviation.”

Despite fog delaying additional pilots, the event did its job as not only first time flyers, but frequent flyers excitedly watched the planes fly in, asked questions, and took pictures as they awaited their opportunity for takeoff.

Beginning the morning with only two pilots, eventually the six total pilots flew in and out interacting with the kids.

“We’re keeping the two that we have busy,” event dispatcher Keith Williams said. “The others are just patiently waiting. No riots, no nothing, just enjoying the day, enjoying each other. Washington is a good place for us to come. We always have good participation by folks and it’s a nice airport.”

“Wow, dad, what kind of plane is that?” one of those patiently waiting young flyer could be heard asking from a crowd of excited youth.

“He said it was a homemade plane,” his dad answered.

These pilots bring their homemade experimental air crafts to these events where they show children around their planes, explain some details of flying and take them up for a short ride around the area.

For some kids like 4-year-old Chelsea Markely, waiting until to reach 8-years-old seemed like a long time, but with patient and kind pilots like Scott Pearson, she at least had the opportunity to check out the inside of his plane.

Chelsea continued to wear a wide grin even as he mom lifted her out of the plane so the older kids, like her older sister Madison, could climb in.

Seeing her face, Pearson promised her that she could come back and look at the plane once more when they returned from their flight.

Shortly after Madison took off, another plane came in with 11-year-old Preston Lasek from Ainsworth.

“Thanks for letting me fly,” Preston told his pilot as he returned to his mom wearing a large grin and holding a certificate commemorating his flight.

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Preston said his ride was an exciting experience completely different from flying commercially.

“It’s way different,” he said. “You feel more turbulence and you feel more of the movement of the plane.”

According to Preston, his flight started by banking left after take off.

“We flew for about two miles, then he took his hand off the stick and I got to fly for a little bit,” he shared.

Despite this being Preston’s first flight with Young Eagles, he said he was not nervous when he got to fly, just excited.

“I just thought, keep your cool and keep on flying,” Preston said.

An older flyer, 16-year-old Max Anderson, was just as excited to get in one of the planes even though this was not his first time.

According to Max’s mom Heather Anderson, Max has also flown plenty commercially, but his love for aviation goes beyond travel.

The Anderson family see the planes at Washington Municipal Airport all the time as they live only a mile from it, but a history of aviation runs in Max’s family.

“My father was a pilot, so, he’s got it in him,” Heather shared. “ … I grew up around planes. I was two months old on my first flight.”

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With an enthusiasm for aviation, Max seeks out as many opportunities as he can to get in a plane. Before coming to the Young Eagles Rally for the second time, he renewed his zeal for flight at the Quad City Air Show over the summer.

“It was the first time in like three years that they'd been able to do the because of COVID,” Heather explained. “That really sparked him and he really became interested.”

With increased interest in flying, Max is currently thinking about the possibility of going into the military so he can get his pilots license free.

“This event is a great way to get him close to this,” she said. “We’re really thankful for it.”

Heather appreciates the Young Eagle Rallies for getting Max close to planes and up in the air, especially as a mother with her experiences flying.

“I love that he has interest in it,” she said. “He likes speed, and he is hands-on, and flying is definitely hands on.”

“They’ve got some great guys that teach these kids so much,” Heather commented. “It’s really cool.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com