Numerous children got to ride today at the Halifax-Northampton Regional Airport as part of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles event.
“It started because of Trey,” said Jennifer Gary of her nearly 3-year-old son. “Trey loves airplanes. When he sees one in the sky he says, ‘I wish I was up there.’”
Trey and his two sisters got to ride in a plane for the first time.
For Destiny Sexton, 9, it was her third time flying, her grandmother, Connie Hux, said. “She does everything she can pertaining to this ... Anything educational. She really likes it.”
Airport Manager Ralph Johnson was pleased the rains forecast for today held off. “It’s nice. As long as we’ve got enough visibility we can send them up.”
James Elliott, Elizabeth City chapter president of the association, says the chapter has taken more than 1,000 children on free flights over the past 10 years. “Some are a little nervous, some are little excited.”
Elliott, who has logged some 4,500 hours, sees the Young Eagles events as a positive tool for youngsters and has seen children involved in the organization and Civil Air Patrol get into aviation. “One of the first kids who joined got a flight scholarship. Now he has 250 hours and is getting his commercial license. “If it was not for the program he would not be a pilot today.”
There is to be no profanity and there is to be no character assassination even if the person being written about is a suspect in a crime.
Comments that presume knowledge of a person’s home life, financial situation or other personal details will be not be posted as will comments which presume legal knowledge.
All comments must be on the topic of the story and offer the reader’s insight on a particular issue. rrspin.com will cease posting comments if the editor determines readers are infighting with one another and not staying on the topic of a story.
rrspin.com prefers readers use their real names because anonymous posters are accountable for their comments just as readers who post their names are.