Retired school superintendent, Dr. Diane Thornton received the program's first flight from EAA President today. EAA launched its new Eagle Flights program, which will provide pathways to flight for adults similar to the organization's Young Eagles program. The inaugural flight was on Tuesday morning, July 24, at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
EAA President/CEO Rod Hightower flew Dr. Thornton on the first Eagle Flight in a North American T-6. His passenger, a longtime Texas educator and school administrator is now National Director of the "Learning for Life" program that oversees the Aviation Exploring program.
-EAA President/CEORod Hightower flew Diane Thornton on first Eagle Flight at 2012 AirVenture, Jeff Skiles, EAA's vice president of chapters and youth education, will lead the Eagle Flights program.- Alabama Aviator image
Hightower explained, "She's held a long desire to learn how to fly. When she was young, her father flew for business but her mother did not allow the kids to fly- but her father would occasionally sneak them aboard, kindling her desire to fly."
"But after I got that opportunity, it was in my blood," Thornton said. "I agreed to be the first to take the Eagle Flight because I want others to know it's never too late to pursue your dreams."
-Before Take-off on first every EAA Eagle Flight. Alabama Aviator image-
Jeff Skiles, EAA's vice president of chapters and youth education, will lead the Eagle Flights program. He explained EAA members and chapters have requested a program that allows them to bring people into the industry. "Eagle Flights is about the opportunity to have a structured program where they can give a friend, a neighbor, or a co-worker who has already expressed an interest in aviation a ride, and then have a program to follow up that experience," he said.
While the flight may resemble the Young Eagles program, Eagle Flights goes beyond that. "In the next year we are going to build out a structured connection with flight partners," he said. "An Eagle will be able to call here and talk to a mentor at EAA headquarters. But we're going to use our chapter network as local mentors who can help them find flight-training resources in their local area."
Non-pilots 18 years old or older can sign up for an Eagle Flight at the Learn to Fly Discovery Center all week at AirVenture. EAA member pilots can also register there. People who take a flight will also receive a six-month EAA membership, as well as have access to mentors. B Meyer FMI: AirVenture