built for Young Eagles flights
Project Schoolflight, co-founded by EAA founder
Paul Poberezny in 1955, served as the inspirational predecessor program to the Young Eagles, ending in 1978. In 1991, a survey of long-time EAA members was conducted to help determine the nascent organization's future priorities. Nearly 92 percent said EAA's primary objective should be to involve more young people in aviation. The survey also showed that a flight experience inspired respondents toward aviation. On May 13, 1992, following several months of coordination by EAA's then-President
Tom Poberezny and members of the EAA Board of Directors, management, staff and volunteers, the Young Eagles Program was unveiled at a
Washington, D.C. news conference. The mission of the EAA Young Eagles Program is to provide a meaningful flight experience – free of charge – in a general aviation aircraft for young people (primarily between the ages of 8 and 17). Flights are provided by EAA members worldwide. The program is administered by the Young Eagles Office at EAA headquarters in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since 1994, "International Young Eagles Day," a day set aside to encourage all EAA members and Chapters to participate is held annually on the second Saturday of June. At AirVenture Oshkosh 2012, EAA unveiled a new program called "Eagle Flights," which will offer rides for adults. ==International Young Eagles==