Get Involved!

Become an EAA Young Eagles Volunteer

Thank you for your interest in the EAA Young Eagles program. Since 1992, more than 80,000 people have supported flights for young people through their volunteer efforts.

There are many ways to volunteer to support the Young Eagles program. How you volunteer is up to you. Read through the possibilities below and see what might suit your talents. If you have specific questions about volunteering, how to find a local Chapter or just have questions about Young Eagles, please contact the EAA Young Eagles Office.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Young Eagle Pilot | Ground Operations | Registration | Escorts
Ground School Instructors | Certificates | Recruiters | Financial Contributors

Young Eagles Pilot

The most visible volunteers in the Young Eagles program are the pilots. More than 40,000 men and women worldwide have freely given of their time and talents to share the joy and excitement of aviation with more than 1 million young people. Pilots volunteer for a variety of reasons. Some see it as a chance to payback the kindness of those who inspired them to pursue flying. Others enjoy the opportunity to share their interest in aviation with young people. Many simply enjoy flying. No matter what your motivation, we think that after your first Young Eagles flight; you’ll feel like a majority of our pilots and will look for the next opportunity to participate.

The basic pilot requirements are minimal, but important. Please review the Young Eagle pilot requirements before you take a Young Eagle flying:

EAA Young Eagle Pilot Requirements:

Appropriate Airmen's Certificate (Sport Pilot or higher)

Current Medical Certificate (if applicable)

EAA National Membership

90-day currency in aircraft used

Current Flight Review

Aircraft Passenger Liability Insurance for aircraft used (owned, rental or borrowed). As an added EAA member benefit, members are provided an additional $1 million passenger liability policy, if they carry at least $100,000 per seat liability insurance. This coverage is in place automatically, no additional forms are required.

If you meet these requirements, then you are ready to fly Young Eagles!

Young Eagle Registration Forms and Certificates may be ordered directly from the Young Eagles Office. E-mail or call 877-806-8902. Supplies are returned by mail. The Registration Form must be completed and signed by a parent or guardian prior to the flight. After the flight, you sign the Young Eagles Certificate and present it to your new Young Eagle. Please return the Registration Form as soon as possible following the flight, so your Young Eagles can receive additional aviation information from EAA and be listed in the World's Largest Logbook.

Read the complete EAA Young Eagle Pilot Guidelines for more details.

Other Young Eagle Volunteer Opportunities

There are many additional volunteer opportunities within the EAA Young Eagles Program. The largest need is for pilots to take children flying, but there are many other ways to support the program. Often, EAA Chapters and members organize group flying events, commonly called a Young Eagle flight Rally. Depending on how these local events are structured, there is always a need for additional support such as:

Ground Operations: assisting with parking and directing aircraft. Top

Registration: helping children and parents complete the registration forms before their flight and assigning them to fly with available pilots. Top

Escorts: escorting children safely to and from the aircraft. Top

Ground School Instructors: many Chapters hold simple ground school sessions before the flights. These are often basic walk-around inspections of a display aircraft to familiarize children with the major components of an airplane. Top

Certificates: Volunteers who complete the Young Eagles certificates for presentation following the flights. Top

Recruiters: help find children who might be interested in a Young Eagles flight. Top

Financial Contributors: There are also opportunities to support the Young Eagles program through direct financial contributions. From individual contributors to major corporations, the Young Eagles program welcomes financial contributions to offset administrative costs. Contributions to the Young Eagles program are tax deductible. EAA membership dues are not used to support the Young Eagles program. Click here to contribute. Top

These are just a few of the many opportunities available in the Young Eagles program. Many Chapters and members have established their own operational guidelines and have specific volunteers needs. No matter if you are a pilot and want to fly or a non-flying EAA member who wants to participate, there's a way for you to join the Young Eagle team!

Find an EAA Chapter near you.

Why I Fly Young Eagles – by Michael Mahoney

Every once in a while, we hear from a Young Eagles Flight Leader who calls or writes to tell about a wonderful experience he or she had during a recent Young Eagles rally.

Robert Epting, Chapel Hill, NC 1,985 Young Eagles Flown
“The photo shows why I fly EAA Young Eagles. I never met these kids before we went to a Young Eagle rally on Saturday. I'd never have met them otherwise. You think we had a great time or what?"

Neil Swartzbaugh, Mason, Il 299 Young Eagles flown
"I feel the EAA Young Eagles Program had given aviation a shot in the arm, not only for the kids but the parents and general public. We get a lot of support from the news media and local merchants."

Ruth Logan, Sun Valley, CA 204 Young Eagles flown
“The EAA Young Eagles Program is great! I don't know who has more fun, the kids or the pilots. I believe the Young Eagles program will inspire many more young people to become pilots or at least consider aviation as a career. I've enjoyed the Young Eagles program so much I helped start and lead an Aviation Explorers post at my local airport."

Don McGettigan, Mesa, Ariz. 501 Young Eagles flown
"It is a great program for young people as well as EAA Pilots. The program provides a young person, who might never otherwise have the opportunity, the possibility of flight in a general aviation aircraft. It could trigger the desire to fly, build, go on to higher education, even to a career in aviation. For me, it is pay back time. Many years ago a friend took me flying, it changed my life. It gave me a goal, something I really enjoyed. It lead to an A&P license, a pilot's license a college degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a career in experimental test flight for over 35 years.”

Ed Hemmingson, Albany, OR 322 Young Eagles flown
"Of all the flying we do 'for fun', none is more rewarding than the response from these young people and their parents."

Arnold Zimmerman, Downers Grover, Il 672 Young Eagles Flown
“This program is the greatest way to introduce youngsters to aviation. My satisfaction is seeing the smile when they finish the flight!"

Carol Andrews, Browns Valley, CA 128 Young Eagles flown
"I have enjoyed every minute of it. I fly kids as often as I can and parent too if they are interested. I am enlisting new EAA Young Eagle pilots when ever I can."