Chapter 952 of the Experimental Aircraft Association hosted the Young Eagles Rally at the Cottonwood Airport on April 12, giving kids a chance to take a flight with EAA member pilots. Event coordinator Chuck Losinski said that 40 kids had registered for the event and 37 attended. Nine-year-old Canyon Miller, one of the first kids to go up, described the experience as “fun and cool.” Miller wants to become a pilot and received his first certificate for his adventure.
Brian Johnson, himself one of the area’s younger pilots at age 20, was one of the volunteers for the occasion. He said that he expected to do three or four runs and take up two or possibly three kids on each flight, as the pilots work in shifts. He also had the chance to explain the airplane to his passengers and show them around the cockpit. “It’s an amazing special day and we have a beautiful day up here in Cottonwood, Arizona, which we’re crazy thankful for,” Johnson said. His flight path took him from the Cottonwood Airport to the south over Montezuma Well and Rimrock before looping back, with each flight lasting about 20 minutes.
Seventeen-year-old Matreiya Biafora volunteered to be part of the ground crew at the event, guiding families around the aircraft and keeping them back on engine startup. She said that she became interested in flying when she was 5 and eventually took her first lessons when she was 14, and found out about the EAA and its scholarship program from her flight instructor. Biafora later receive done of the EAA scholarships for her training and took part in last year’s Young Eagle Rally as well. “Anyone can fly,” Biafora said. “There’s the money factor, but you can get scholarships pretty much from anyone and it’s just a great experience.” Losinski said the next Young Eagle Rally is planned for Saturday, Nov. 1.
