Local EAA Chapter In Florida Teaches Kids How To Build And Repair Aircraft
Program Open To Anyone Age 10-18
Lake County, FL youngsters wanting to learn how to build and repair real home built experimental airplanes now can take advantage of a free program. EAA Chapter 534, based at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, FL, has embarked on a chapter youth program to teach young people the technical aspects of building and repairing experimental general aviation aircraft.
This program is open to both boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 18 years old. There is no charge for this program and it is mentored by Chapter 534 volunteer members who have experience with experimental aircraft building and watched over by chapter members who are certified airframe and powerplant aircraft mechanics.
From a practical standpoint, because of the chapters location they expect to recruit young people from the greater Lake County, Florida area.
The EAA Chapter 534 Aviation Youth Group will meet at the EAA hangar from 11 am to 2 pm on Saturdays with lunch served by the chapter members. Kids will be taught the proper use of tools and safety procedures before working on airplane projects. This program will be spiced up by enrolling each youth member in the EAA Young Eagles program so they will get to fly periodically in single engine general aviation aircraft. The idea behind the youth program is to introduce young people to aviation by both working on real airplanes and getting to fly. This is done with the hope that this experience will cause some of them to ultimately seek out aviation careers or become pilots later on.
There is a lot of concern in the aviation industry that the numbers of pilots and aviation mechanics are slowly diminishing and new ways need to be found to interest young folks to consider aviation vocations in the future. It is the hope to make this a fun learning experience that will produce kids who really get excited about aviation and begin to dream about a future in this endeavor.
EAA Chapter 534 are looking for kids who already have some interest in aviation and want to explore this itch a little further. This will require a strong commitment by both the child and their parents or guardians to follow through with the program.
If you wish, to find out more about the EAA Chapter Aviation Youth Program you may contact the group’s leader, John Weber. He can supply the proper parental consent forms that would need to be filled out or arrange for a visit to the EAA hangar on a Saturday when the youth program is operating.
(Images provided with EAA 534 news release. Top: EAA Chapter 534 Aviation Youth member Aiden Lowery gets instructions from EAA aircraft mechanic Steve Tilford. Lower: EAA Chapter 534 Aviation Youth members Sosa Lopez and Aiden Lowery)