Palm Desert, Calif., Dec. 18, 2006 – As a chill comes over most of our great country, the leaves fall and Young Eagle flying slows down. But that is when EAA Chapter 1116’s (Palm Springs, Calif.) Young Eagle flying season is just beginning. Where the summer desert temperatures reach over 120 degrees, the highs are now in the low 80s and dry, ideal for Young Eagle flying.
On Nov. 18, 2006, the Chapter gathered their Young Eagle team together at the great Palm Springs (PS) Air Museum for the third Young Eagles Rally there. It was a perfect flying day, calm and not too hot.
The team consisted of ladies from the Cochella Valley Chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), who registered all of the children, and the 99’s Women Pilots Association who assigned the children to the pilots and completed their Young Eagle certificates. EAA Chapter members performed the group pre-flights on museum aircraft and the PS Air Museum volunteers safely directed aircraft in and out of their ramp.
But crucial to the team were the seven pilots who volunteered their time and aircraft to give each child a memorable flying experience.
Children were lined up and ready for registration by 7:30 a.m. when pilot briefing began. By early afternoon, 124 Young Eagles were flown. Aircraft varied from Dan Eespinsen’s restored Funk “B” to Dr. Bill Page’s Baron B-55D.
The four organizations coordinated perfectly for their time allotted to provide the delight of flight to these children at the PS Air Museum.
Before Chapter 1116 formed the consortium consisting of the AAUW Ladies, the 99's Ladies and the Palm Springs Air Museum Ramp volunteers, they had to improvise, conducting the event at the Bermuda Dunes Airport on Saturdays.
Loren C. Farwell, Chapter 1116’s Young Eagle Coordinator, said, “No one knew who would show up, and on one occasion we even had four pilots ready to fly and only one Young Eagle candidate. That really is what led to the museum, and it has been a perfect match of four fine organizations with one great cause ever since.”
He also said the Chapter anticipates the next Young Eagles rally at the museum to be in late January or early February.
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While Young Eagle flying slows in other parts of the country, Palm Springs Air Museum volunteers are just beginning their flying season. EAA Chapter 1116 flew 124 Young Eagles at the Palm Springs Air Museum on Nov.18, 2006.
For More Information
Palm Springs Air Museum
American Association of University Women
99’s Women Pilots Association
Bermuda Dunes Airport
Funk Model B Photo
1001 Aviation Photos
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