Kids Fly Free In Spokane Valley
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Felts Field is the site where pilots, planes and kids are put to the test.
On Saturday volunteer pilots took advantage of the great weather to teach young kids about flying.
“Kids are tied up with video games and X-Boxes, and watching TV We feel like we need to bring them back to the small airports like Felts Field and show them what you can do,” said Christian Sturm with the Experimental Aviation Association.
Every summer Spokane’s Experimental Aviation Association organizes what it calls Young Eagle Rallies. Members of the association give free 20 minute flights over the Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake.
“Every kid gets a chance to hold the controls usually,” said Sturm. “They can experience what it’s like to fly a real airplane. They get a chance to learn some basic aerodynamics and what makes an airplane fly.”
Being 1500 feet above ground looking over Spokane is quite the thrill for the kids. The Experimental Aviation Association’s program for young kids encourages youngsters to drop the remote control and learn how to fly.
Kids walked away excited from the adventure, parents like Wendy Forsythe say it’s something they’ll likely do next year too.
“A friend told us about it,” said Forsythe. “What a neat opportunity for our young kids in our community to get up in a plane.”
And that’s why these volunteers come back year after year hoping to inspire future pilots.
“If I can just get one kid to sign up it’s worth it,” said pilot David Lucke.
Three more Young Eagle Rallies are planned over the summer for kids ages eight to 17.
