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Rio Creek, Wis. – July 19, 2006 – “Just seeing the excitement in their eyes and the thank you’s over and over is all it takes for me to want to keep doing this,” said Brian Dauck, EAA Young Eagles pilot.
”We had a great Young Eagles Day on Saturday, June 24, 2006, at Rio Creek Airport. It is a small, single, grass strip airport, privately owned by Don Walter. Don gets more enjoyment out of watching the pilots and the kids come and go than he does flying. Here we have a group called the Rio Creek Aviation Foundation that organizes educational events such as hosting a Young Eagles rally.
The event was planned to run from 9:00 a.m. until noon; however, we ended up with a much larger turnout than we could ever have hoped for. At around 1:30 p.m. we decided to stop taking new registrations, and gave the last ride a little after 2:00 p.m. There were four pilots that were signed up to give rides; Shaun Clausen in a Cessna 172, Frank Fameree in a Piper 140, Justin Dauck in a 1949 Ercoupe, and myself in a 1946 Ercoupe.
We were holding a small pancake breakfast for a few pilots in the area that morning and we were lucky that two of them pitched in to give rides. Both are veterans of the Young Eagles program; Gerald Wautier of Chapter 630 has flown over 330 Young Eagles in his Cessna 172, and Jay Baeten of Chapter 651 has over 250 Young Eagles in his Cessna 170.
When the propellers stopped spinning we had flown 79 Young Eagles for the day and a few parents as well. Our newest Young Eagles pilot had the most; Shaun flew 21Young Eagles, Gerald - 19, Frank - 15, Brian - 10, Jay - 8 and Justin - 7.
Our ground crew had a major challenge because we had only three people running the show; Todd Lohenery assigned planes, Hans Shin took care of registration and Duane Fameree was Air Traffic Control. We had three others that helped with the rest of the activities; Don Walter, airport owner/manager, Don Jahnke and Earl Martin. These guys were instrumental in keeping everyone briefed on how an airplane operates, what kind of training is needed, and made sure the snacks were available.
Everyone involved had a blast. The kids couldn't have been happier and neither could the pilots. As soon as one passenger exited the plane, the next was ready to go.
Thoughts of the Pilots
”I like giving rides to the Young Eagles to see the smiles and hear the comments. The kids are always grateful and it makes for a fun day. Thanks for all the work you and the other workers do to make it a great experience for all. It takes a unified effort.”
Frank Fameree.
"I'm not a pilot -- just a wannabe! Staging rides for our Young Eagles events is a way for me to give back. There's no greater joy than seeing the look of ecstasy on a kid’s face after they return from their first flight and I'm happy to play a small role in putting it there!”
Todd Lohenery
”Young Eagles provides a forum that helps encourage parents to allow their children to experience flight in a general aviation airplane. The kids leave with satisfaction and will remember the experience for a long time. It is great for me to be a part of that. I was happy to join the Rio Creek Aviation Foundation and participate in a Young Eagles event.”
Shaun Clausen
According to Brian Dauck, “If there was ever a definition of an aviation enthusiast, it would be Don Walter. His goal when he built the runway back in 1972 was to keep grass roots aviation alive.
Justin loves to talk to kids while he is flying and explain what he is doing; which is good practice for his goal of becoming an instructor.
Hans simply loves aviation, and anything he can do to bring a smile to a future flier is all it takes to keep him involved.”
The Rio Creek Aviation Foundation was formed in 2004 with the purpose of fostering a love of flying for young and old alike in Northeast Wisconsin. Based at the Rio Creek International Airport, the heart of aviation in Kewaunee County, the foundation promotes aviation through educational programs, fly-ins, Young Eagles days and other aviation-oriented activities.
For more information, click here!
Submitted by Brian Dauck
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Young Eagle Emily Blish with pilot Brian Dauck in a 1946 Ercoupe.
Anthony Blish gives a “thumbs up” as he prepares to take off with pilot Justin Dauck in a 1949 Ercoupe.
When the Young Eagles were done getting their rides in the sky, it was Todd Lohenery’s turn! He took off with Justin Dauck for his first ride in an Ercoupe.
Todd Lohenery kept things running smoothly on the ground by assigning the next riders.
Duane Fameree walks away from Brian's Ercoupe after helping Anna Talmadge up onto the wing. Anna’s monther, Paula, snaps a quick shot of her daughter before they are ready for takeoff.
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