More than 100,000 young people nationwide have now had the opportunity to discover and explore a next step in aviation, thanks to the Sporty’s Pilot Shop Learn to Fly Course available free of charge following their EAA Young Eagles flights.
The online Sporty’s course is available free to all of the nearly 2.3 million EAA Young Eagles as a follow-up to their initial introductory flight by volunteer EAA-member pilots. The course is a comprehensive online ground school, test prep, and flight training companion that provides all the knowledge and concepts to pass the FAA Private Pilot written test, oral exam, and checkride. As Young Eagles progress through the course, they earn a voucher for a free-flight lesson, and reimbursement for the cost of their FAA knowledge exam.
“Having more than 100,000 young people engage in aviation through the Sporty’s Learn to Fly course is a milestone that will lead to results that we will be able to see for years to come,” said David Leiting, EAA’s Young Eagles Program Manager. “Sporty’s Pilot Shop makes this course available at no charge to our Young Eagles so they can continue to discover the world of flight, regardless of their location, in an easy-to-comprehend way that sets them up for even more success. We thank Sporty’s on behalf of tens of thousands of young aviation enthusiasts.”
The concept to provide Sporty’s online courses at no charge for Young Eagles was developed with input from EAA pilots who had been flying Young Eagles. Those pilots reported that after their flight, many of the young people wanted to discover more about aviation but lacked access to reliable and professional resources. The goal is to build the next generation of aviators and boost student pilot starts with a group already engaged through the Young Eagles program.
“It’s gratifying and humbling to know more than 100,000 young people have connected with our Learn to Fly course to take their next steps in aviation,” said Michael Wolf, EAA Lifetime 460022, CEO of Sporty’s and a volunteer Young Eagles pilot. “There’s no better feeling for us than hearing of EAA Young Eagles who are now pilots themselves and who were assisted to achieve their personal goals by using our learning resources. It’s an investment we’re happy to make to support a new generation of aviators.”
This progression from Young Eagles flights to enrollment in Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course perfectly supports EAA’s mission to grow participation in aviation by promoting The Spirit of Aviation, by giving young people more accessible pathways into the air. More information on Young Eagles is available at EAA.org/YoungEagles.
