Saturday, July 12, 2014

Young Eagles Program Inspires Future Pilots: Mankato Regional Airport (KMKT), Minnesota

You may have noticed a few extra planes in the air this morning if you were in the Mankato area. 

The Experimental Aircraft Association along with the Blue Earth County Library was offering private aircraft rides to kids today at the Mankato Regional Airport.

The Young Eagles program lets kids 8 to 17 years old have a chance to hop into a plane and help navigate during a 20 minute plane ride around Mankato.

Bernie Davey is the E.A.A chapter coordinator, he says the best part of the day is interacting with the kids. "It's fun as a pilot to give a kid a ride and see the joy he's having when he's riding. They go up apprehensive and they come back just with joy."

One young rider was 11 year old Claire Burman. She has participated in the flights once before.


And she plans on spending time on the runway in the future as well. Burman said, "Well I kind of want to have my own plane. I'd fly my parents."
 

Program leaders estimate they have served more than 3,000 kids right here in Mankato since the program's inception in 1992.

Story and Video:  http://www.keyc.com


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