Early Thursday morning, Oct. 13, the San Diego Hammerheads International Aerobatic Club 36 (IAC 36) took up thirty-three excited fifth graders from the Borrego Springs Elementary School.

The program started when the, then, board of directors for the club wanted to build community relations and give back to the kids that they fly over twice a year. Local resident and President of the club at the time, Gray Brandt, started up the Young Eagles program at their fall contests and its been a success ever since. Each year, fifth graders get excited at their opportunity to go flying, but its not just all fun and games. Before each child gets a t-shirt, hot dog, and a signed certificate and logbook, they have to attend a ground lesson about flying. The topic? What makes an airplane fly.

Yolandi Jooste

Every child had an opportunity to go up with a Young Eagles pilot and enjoyed every second of it. One student, who got to hold the yoke (the wheel of the plane) while flying expressed that he wants to become a pilot, while another student said he cant wait to tell his family all about it!

A special thanks to the pilots, Randy Lipton; Jacob Palmer, Jimmy O'Brian and local resident Rick Fordem. Ground school teacher, Michael Church.

"Founded in 1992, the Young Eagles program has dedicated nearly twenty-fife years to giving youth ages eight – seventeen their first free ride in an airplane. It's the only program of its kind, with the sole mission to introduce and inspire kids in the world of aviation."

(Unfortunately, we can only put a certain amount of pictures up. If your child attended and was photographed but no on the website, let us know and we can send you a picture out.)