GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.– Some kids in West Michigan had their first shot at flying a plane Saturday. West Michigan pilots donating their time to teach the students all they need to know about becoming a pilot themselves. For the first time the Young Eagles program partnered up with the West Michigan Aviation Academy.
The Young Eagles program is run through the Experimental Aircraft Association, they work with different groups all around the country hoping to inspire the next generation of aviators. George Pavey, Dean of Students at the academy says Saturday was all about the opportunity to take aviation out of the classroom and actually put it into practice.
Clint Fereday a pilot who came out to volunteer said it’s important to keep the students enthused about a career in aviation. “Kids just aren`t considering that as a career path as much as they should and as much as we need them to,” he said.
Jacob Maloley a junior at the academy actually had the chance to fly Fereday’s plane Saturday, he says it’s a day he’ll never forget. “It kind of gets in your blood as they say, once you’re up in the air and you got the controls, everything looks a little bit different from 2,000 ft up.”
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