Emily Gregory rushes to embrace her mother after her first Young Eagles flight last Saturday at the Sutter County Airport.

SUTTER COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Eddie and Emily Gregory waited hesitantly next to their mother in the shade of a hangar at Sutter County Airport last Saturday (July 6). The two siblings, just 15 months apart, had never been on a small aircraft before.

 Fred Young, left, explains how airplanes turn in the sky to a student flier during the Young Eagles flight program hosted at Sutter County Airport last Saturday.

“Everybody is nervous at first but don't let that affect you,” said Audrey Young, a local Young Eagles volunteer. “Your pilot is going to walk you out to his plane and tell you all about it, how everything’s packed and how they take off and stay in the air. You’ll get in and buckle up just like you do in your car. Then he’ll start it up and taxi over to the end of the runway and do what they call a ‘bon out’ where they’ll check the engine, the props, everything - everything has to work perfectly, or they don't go.”

 Audrey Gregory embraces her children, Eddie and Emily, after their first Young Eagles flight last Saturday at Sutter County Airport.

The Young Eagles program was initiated in 1992 by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) for the purpose of inspiring and introducing youth to the world of aviation. Locally, Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1593 gives children between the ages of 8 and 17 an opportunity to share in the joy of flight each month at the Sutter County Airport, weather permitting.

“I had no idea this was even available before,” said Lizette Hernandez. “I heard about it through one of the moms on a Facebook group. My son is on the spectrum and he’s fascinated; he's one of those kids where when he likes something, he's obsessed with it. He wants to learn the ins and the outs of the whole thing and so I thought this would be perfect for him.”

The free excursion includes a brief ground school lesson followed by a 15-minute ride in one of the available aircrafts. Some children even get the chance to steer while up in the air. After the completion of their first flight, each child is issued a special certificate and logbook. This book includes a link to sign up for a free Experimental Aircraft Association Student Membership, Experimental Aircraft Association AeroEducate and a code to access Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course.

 Parents wait at the gate for their young fliers to touch back down during the Young Eagles flight program hosted at Sutter County Airport last Saturday.

“That’s normally worth about $280, and if they finish three modules of that, then Sporty’s will send them a voucher for a lesson at a flight school if that's something they want to do,” said Dallan Reese, president of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1593 and a pilot for Southwest Airlines.

At the gate, parents waited eagerly for their young flyers to touch back down.

“I’m expecting a lot of smiles. I really think this is going to make a difference for them,” said Robert Haull, a local grandfather.

One by one, each student returned, embracing their parents and posing for a final photo with their pilots. Among them were Eddie and Emily Gregory, who had played rock-paper-scissors for a chance at the front seat. Eddie won out and was beaming while his sister proudly declared ‘that was cool but I don't want to go on planes anymore.’

Laughed Reese, “That's part of what this is about too. Kids get to experience this now and have the opportunity to decide and explore whether it's for them or not.”

Future Young Eagles flights will be held on the first Saturday of each month, weather permitting. The program is free and usually pitched toward a specific group or school but this month, Reese and his crew expanded the opportunity to the community due to an overflow of available pilots. Residents or school administrators interested in getting their children into an upcoming flight program should visit the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1593’s website at chapters.eaa.org/eaa1593 or contact Reese at 530-923-0116 or [email protected].