A milestone event at the airport is happening on Saturday, November 13th

This week marks a big milestone for the EAA Chapter 40 program. This month, they expect to fly their 10,000th Young Eagle at Whiteman Airport in Southern California. In 1992, pilot members of the Experimental Aircraft Association EAA started hosting free flight experiences for children between the ages of 8 and 17. The Young Eagles rally will take place on November 26 with the milestone flight happening on that day between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Despite its relatively small size, Whiteman Airport is a major economic and transportation hub. It came into existence in 1946 as a private air park and was acquired by the county of Los Angeles ten years later. Now, it serves as a reliever for KLAX, a LA International Airport. EAA Chapter 40 Young Eagles coordinator Dave Kolstad explains that just every third Saturday of the month, you’ll see a squadron of volunteer pilots bring out their airplanes. These pilot-volunteers provide Young Eagle flights for the chapter. “We’ve been doing it for 30 years,” he said. “We’re up to 9,929 Young Eagles! Let’s get 11 flights in to make 10,000, and I think we could do it.” League events tend to be very well-attended, and they take place typically in the afternoons or evenings. They’re relatively brief, so that all the kids can make it to the event. In addition, they take place in Southern California where the weather usually cooperates. Expressions North fielded a project to expand their chapter of a local children’s choir program by flying potential members between 15 and 20 times monthly to conduct training sessions up against tight timelines. “The kids love the chance to fly. It’s a great opportunity for them to see the airplane up close and get excited about what they might do in the future.”

To find a Young Eagles flight