Rally planned at Fallbrook Airpark

Dependants of Helicopter Marine Light Attack Squadon 367 (HMLA-367) ages 8 through 17 will have a chance to take to the skies on Saturday, May 20, as Friends of the Fallbrook Community Airpark and Chapter 1279 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), French Valley Airport, hosts a Young Eagles Flight Rally at the Fallbrook Airpark, 22155 S. Mission Road. Fourteen aircraft and pilots are expected to participate, along with 50 boys and girls.

The rally is part of the EAA Young Eagles Program, created to interest young people in aviation by providing a ride in a small airplane and the opportunity to experience the thrill of flight. Since the program was launched in 1992, Volunteer EAA pilots have flown more than 1.2 million young people who reside in more than 90 countries.

“Free airplane rides are just part of the Flight Rally,” said Don Evans, coordinator of the event. “We hope to build one-to-one relationships between pilots and young people, giving a new generation a chance to learn more about the possibilities that exist in the world of aviation.”

Pilots at the event will also explain more about their airplanes, allowing young people to discover how airplanes work and how pilots ensure safety is the prime concern before every flight.

Following the flight, each young person will receive a certificate making them an official Young Eagle. Their name will then be entered into the “World’s Largest Logbook,” which is on permanent display at the EAA Air Adventur Museum in Oshkosh, WI. The Logbook is also accessible on the Internet at http://www.youngeagles.org. Additional information regarding the local program, along with photographs from past events, is available at http://www.eaa1279.org.

Although Saturday’s event has been dedicated solely to the dependants of HMLA-367, spectators are more than welcome to attend. The Fallbrook Airpark is a wonderful place to watch airplanes. Another rally is being planned for the fall. For additional information, contact Debbie Zumwalt at (760) 728-4674 or Don Evans at (760) 723-3573 or visit Chapter 1279’s Web site at http://www.eaa1279.org.