There are few things in aviation more powerful than watching a young person take the controls of an airplane for the very first time.
Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a Young Eagles rally hosted by EAA Chapter 288 at Spruce Creek, which is the largest EAA chapter in the country. With more than 300 members and now a brand-new dedicated hangar facility, this chapter is raising the bar for what a community aviation event can look like.
What Is Young Eagles?
The Young Eagles program, run by the Experimental Aircraft Association, has been introducing kids ages 8–17 to aviation for more than 30 years. To date, over 2 million young people have experienced their first flight through this initiative.
At Spruce Creek, this isn’t a once-a-year event. The chapter hosts kids every month, working closely with local schools to create structured, meaningful exposure to aviation careers and opportunities.
For this rally, students from the Reign Academy in Ormond Beach arrived by school bus, ready for a day they will never forget.
Organized. Professional. Purpose-Driven.
If you think a Young Eagles rally is just “a bunch of pilots shooting holes in the sky,” think again.
Every participating pilot goes through EAA background checks and youth protection training. Routes are carefully planned and divided by aircraft speed. Spacing procedures are coordinated. Radio calls are standardized. Ground crews manage taxi flow and safety. It is aviation mentorship done right.
From vintage aircraft like a 1956 Piper Pacer to experimentals and even open-cockpit airplanes, the ramp was full of variety and excitement.
But the real magic happens in the cockpit.
The Moment That Changes Everything
In the video below, you’ll see what it looks like when a young student places a hand on the stick for the first time. You’ll hear the checklist briefings. You’ll watch gentle turns over the Florida coastline. You’ll see that spark — the moment when a kid realizes:
“I just flew an airplane.”
And when they land? They receive a logbook, which is the same kind every professional pilot keeps, to record their very first flight.
That logbook entry might be the first step toward a career in aviation.
More Than Just Flying
What impressed me most wasn’t just the flying. It was the teamwork.
- The line crew.
- The chapter leadership.
- The volunteers organizing check-in.
This is what aviation community looks like at its best.
As pilots, we often talk about preserving general aviation. Programs like Young Eagles aren’t just preserving it, they are fueling its future.
If you want to see what a Young Eagles rally really looks like and experience the excitement of a first flight through a child’s eyes, you won’t want to miss this one.
👉 Watch the full video here and come along for the flight.