Apr. 26—GRAND FORKS — Ishir Agarwal and his fellow UND aviation students are excited to welcome lots of area kids to a special flight rally this weekend in Crookston.
“We hope they’ll join us for a free flight experience,” he said, and “a full day of exciting activities, while also grabbing a hot dog at the barbecue.”
The local aviation group is offering free plane rides for kids during the Young Eagles flight rally Sunday, April 27, at the Crookston Municipal Airport.
During the event, which is open to youth ages 8-17, young people can get plane rides with UND certified flight instructors, said Agarwal, a UND sophomore majoring in aviation.
Organizers hope to increase kids’ awareness of and interest in aviation, said Agarwal, president of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1342.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., up to 64 kids will have the opportunity to fly in a UND Piper Acher plane. So far, three planes are scheduled for the event, which has been held annually for about ten years, Agarwal said.
Each flight can accommodate two passengers — one, seated next to the pilot, and the other in a back seat.
The event is being hosted by the UND-based EAA Chapter 1342, in collaboration with the EAA Chapter 380, which holds its meetings in Grafton, North Dakota.
The rally will include a preflight “walkaround” to explain parts of the airplane, a briefing in the cockpit and a 15- to 20-minute flight.
After the flight, all Young Eagle participants will receive a certificate signed by the pilot and “legendary air show pilot Sean D. Tucker and NFL All-Pro and pilot Jimmy Graham, the program’s chairman,” Agarwal said.
The rally will include a barbecue, with hot dogs, and hands-on activities focused on sparking kids’ interest in aviation.
To register for the rally, go to
https://events.eaachapters.org/event-details/YE973FMZ
.
“Any kid interested in flying with us must register using this link,” Agarwal said.
Parent or guardian permission and release forms must be signed before each flight, he said.
The Crookston Municipal Airport is about a mile north of the University of Minnesota Crookston campus. The address is 26305 Airport Road S.W., Crookston.
If the event must be canceled due to inclement weather, it may be rescheduled, Agarwal said.
More than 2.4 million young people have been flown as EAA Young Eagles since 1992, making it the largest youth aviation education effort ever created, according to the event announcement. More than 50,000 pilots and 50,000 ground volunteers have made this program possible, introducing young people to the world of flight and sparking an interest for thousands of them to discover more about aviation. For additional information, go to
.
The Experimental Aircraft Association, based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a community of aviation enthusiasts who share their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. The group has 290,000 members and 900 local chapters. For more information, go to
.
For more information about Sunday’s event, call Agarwal at (802) 777-9617 or email
.