GRAND FORKS – The Young Eagles Rally has been re-scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 18, at the Crookston Municipal Airport. Pre-registration is required.
The rally, during which kids can take free plane rides with licensed UND instructors, had been set for April 27, but was canceled due to inclement weather.
Ishir Agarwal, a UND student, said he and his fellow aviation colleagues “would love to have as many kids flying this Sunday as possible.”
During the event, youth ages 8-17 can get plane rides with UND certified flight instructors, said Agarwal, a UND sophomore majoring in commercial aviation, aviation safety and operations.
The instructors will be flying UND Piper Archer planes, he said. Each flight can accommodate two passengers – one seated next to the pilot and the other in a back seat.
The main purpose of the rally, which has been held annually for about 10 years, is to increase kids’ awareness of and interest in aviation, said Agarwal, president of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1342.
The event is being hosted by the UND-based EAA Chapter 1342, in collaboration with the EAA Chapter 380, which holds its meetings in Grafton, North Dakota.
The rally will include a pre-flight “walk around” so kids can learn about the parts of the airplane, a briefing in the cockpit, and a 15- to 20-minute flight.
After the flight, Young Eagle participants will receive a certificate signed by the UND pilot; Sean D. Tucker, a “legendary show pilot,” and Jimmy Graham, who is an NFL All-Pro, a pilot, and the program’s chairman, Agarwal said.
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The group will host a barbecue, with hot dogs and drinks, and aviation-related hands-on activities.
To register for the rally, go to https://events.eaachapters.org/event-details/YE973FMZ . All those interested in flying must register using this link, Agarwal said.
Parent or guardian permission and release forms will be signed before each flight, he said.
The Crookston Municipal Airport is about a mile north of the University of Minnesota Crookston campus. The address is 26305 Airport Road S.W., Crookston.
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a group of aviation enthusiasts who share their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft.
The organization, which has 290,000 members and 900 local chapters, has introduced more than 2.4 million youth to the world of aviation and flight since its founding in 1992. It hosts the largest youth aviation education effort ever created, according to the event announcement.
For more information about Sunday’s rally, call Agarwal at (802) 777-9617 or send an email to eaachapter1342@gmail.com .
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