Fly Girls

Liesel and Ireland are now Young Eagles! Our local airport gives instruction and free rides to kids ages 8-17. It's only May through October and even then it's first-come, first-serve and weather depending. I put it on my calendar and throughout the summer for one reason or another, we didn't make it. Since this was the last available month of the year, we dropped everything and headed over.

Memo to me: go early next time! I was blown away at how busy it was and how many kids were regulars. One mom even told me she is researching other municipal airports that do the same thing so her son can get more flying time.

Our pilot was really great and his plane was red! Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega was red!

He talked about pitch, roll and yaw. He talked about how the plane still flies even if the engine quits. He talked about what lifts the plane into the air.

When he asked for a volunteer to sit up front, Ireland eagerly threw up her hand. She particularly enjoyed this experience. Liesel got in the plane first.

 Ireland followed.

They both thought those headsets were pretty cool.

 Before they left, the pilot asked if any of us had questions. Even though I didn't think anything would happen in the 15 minutes there were flying to McHenry and back, I asked how we'd contact him, just in case. He said, "Oh I have my cell phone with me!" Right, this is a municipal airport. No complicated technology.

They came back pretty elated.

Liesel said she saw the dance studio and Ireland commented on how it looked like the cars are going so slow.

Now they are Young Eagles! Their names go in a museum (I'm not quite sure which one) and they received a certificate and log book.

Because we were some of the last people there, they also received the last two donuts. Ireland's had a donut hole in the donut hole. Genius!

I've put this in our calendar for May. We will definitely be back!