Free Airplane Rides For Kids Ages 8-17 at Lampson Field, Lakeport, CA
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce and Chapter 124 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) based at the Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport are teaming up to raise awareness of outstanding career opportunities for young people in aviation. The centerpiece of the effort will be free flights for young people at Lampson Field airport in Lakeport, CA on Saturday, November 23 provided by EAA Chapter 124 as part of the EAA’s Young Eagles Program. Any interested individuals between the ages of 8-17 are invited to participate in this EAA Young Eagles rally.
Registration for the event by young people aged 8-17 has been strong.
There are currently 12 pilots providing free flights scheduled for 54 young people, with another 58 young people on the waiting list. Volunteer pilots are a diverse group that includes a senior aviation executive and flight instructor, a practicing attorney, a retired airline pilot, aircraft builders and an aerial photographer.
Volunteer pilots provide the free rides in their own aircraft as part of an EAA program that has provided free rides to over 2 million young people. Among the aircraft that volunteer pilot owners are making available for the event are a Cessna 340, a Cessna 195, a Mooney, a Piper Arrow, an Aeronca Champ, a Taylorcraft, an RV6 and an RV12.
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce and EAA Chapter 124 organized the event as part of an effort to make members of the Lake County community aware of the outstanding career opportunities for young people in aviation. In addition, participants will learn about opportunities for Lake County high schools to obtain a high quality aviation curriculum developed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) at no cost.
Unlike many fields where jobs are disappearing, career prospects in aviation are bright. Boeing’s CEO, Dennis Muilinberg noted at the Paris Air Show in July, 2019 that there will be a need for 800,000 new pilots in the next 20 years, and that there will be a severe pilot shortage. Each of the major US airlines has already begun investing capital to deal with this shortage.
As Lake County Chamber of Commerce CEO Melissa Fulton notes that “It’s important that students and parents in Lake County become aware of the career opportunities in aviation, including jobs as aviation mechanics, avionics technicians, corporate, airline and military pilots and aerial photographers.”
The Young Eagles rally begins at 9 am in the hangar of LASAR (Lake Aero Styling and Repair). LASAR is one of the world’s largest Mooney Service Centers.
LASAR is located at:
900 F Sky Park Dr.
Lakeport, CA 95453
During the rally, pilot John Swanstrom, a member of EAA Chapter 124, will present his visually dynamic seminar about the basic principles of flight and aviation. The ground school also includes a presentation entitled Career Opportunities in Aviation, an overview for students and parents produced by Clear Lake Flying Club director of education Herb Lingl.
A number of aviation professionals will be available to answer questions about careers in aviation that the young people and their parents may have. These include, in addition to the aviation professionals providing rides in their aircraft, employees of REACH Air Medical Services, which provides helicopter transportation services from Lampson Field and mechanics and pilots based at Lampson Field, Sonoma County airport and elsewhere, including a retired United Airlines mechanic that spent 35 years working for the airline.
The Clearlake Modelers will also have on display a number of model aircraft. Members of the model aviation flying club will be available to answer questions about their aircraft and how to become involved in flying model aircraft. Building and flying model aircraft is a great way for young people to learn more about aviation.
After receiving their ground briefing, participants will be assigned to an aircraft and take their FREE aircraft flight! Afterwards, participants will receive a certificate and a starter logbook to record their flight time.
“Ín addition to getting young people excited about flying and about the career opportunities in aviation, we hope the event will help us identify individuals who might be interested in teaching the AOPA curriculum”, says Lingl. The members of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce are working with Lake County schools to encourage them to submit applications to AOPA to teach the curriculum in the coming 2020/2021 school year.
To register for a November 23 Young Eagles Flight (wait list only available at this time, but even if you don’t get a flight this time you’ll get an invite to our future events) please visit:
To learn more about Lampson Field airport, please visit:
To learn more about the AOPA High School Curriculum please visit:
To learn more about the EAA Young Eagles program, please visit:
A pdf file to help promote the event is available for download at:
A pdf file in Spanish to help promote the event is available for download at:
If you are interested in teaching the AOPA High School Curriculum or donating aviation related items for use by the Clear Lake Flying Club for its youth initiative, please visit:
Clear Lake Flying Club Youth Initiative.
The participation of businesses, trade organizations and local government has been essential to producing this event.
Participating organizations providing resources for the event include:
Aerial Archives,
the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association,
the Clear Lake Flying Club,
the Clearlake Modelers,
the Experimental Aircraft Association,
EAA Chapter 124,
the Lake County Airmans Association,
the Lake County Chamber of Commerce,
the Lake County Office of Education,
the Lake County Department of Public Works,
Lake County Aero Styling and Repair (LASAR),
REACH Air Medical Services,
the Sonoma Jet Center
and Tom’s Aircraft Enterprises.
