Young Eagles at EAA Chapter 461

October rally is cancelled.

The weather forecast indicates crosswinds that are, unfortunately, too strong for a Young Eagles rally. We call it a No-Go. The rally is cancelled, and we don’t have a rain date. Next Saturday October 12 we will be at Space Day in Oshkosh, WI. We will be helping with Gemini and Mercury capsules. If you’d like to join us, let us know – we’d like to have more volunteer helpers. Next Saturday October 19 is the Haunted Hangar at Clow.

Next rally dates:

  • April 2025

Stay tuned, the information will be posted on:

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected].

Overview of the Program:

The EAA Young Eagles program was started in 1992 to give interested young people, ages 8 – 17, an opportunity to experience the joy of flight in a general aviation airplane. These flights are offered free of charge and are made possible through the generosity of EAA member volunteers.  Since 1992 more than 2 million Young Eagles have enjoyed a flight through the program, from 90 different countries, having been flown by more than 42,000 volunteer pilots.

EAA maintains an online Young Eagles logbook here: Young Eagles Logbook

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who qualifies for the Young Eagles flights?

Children ages 8-17. They can participate in Young Eagles rallies and fly more than once.

When is your next Young Eagles rally?

Our chapter hosts Young Eagles rallies April through October on the second Saturday of each month (weather permitting).
We start at 9:00 am and fly until 12:00 pm.

When does registration open?

We open the registration on Wednesday prior to the event, at 8pm.
The link will be posted on this website and our Facebook page.
Due to a high demand we don’t have an ability to accommodate walk-ins.

What’s the address of the airport?

We are located at the Bolingbrook’s Clow International Airport.
Address: 118 S. Clow Intn’l Parkway, Bolingbrook, IL 60490
Park at the parking lot next to Charlie’s restaurant and walk towards the Illinois Aviation Museum.

How can I find out if the flight is cancelled due to weather?

We send out emails to all registered participants; however, emails sometimes fail to deliver.
We strongly recommend checking our website and our Facebook page before heading to the airport. We make a GO/NO-GO decision around 6pm the night before the event.

We try to post as soon as possible the status of the event whenever it changes. This would include rescheduling, cancellation, delays, and so on.  Due to the accuracy (or the lack thereof) of weather forecasts, the variation in local weather conditions, and conditions specific to Clow Airport, we try not to make these decisions very far in advance.  We try our best to avoid disappointments; however, safety is always our primary concern, followed closely by the comfort and enjoyment of our Young Eagles passengers.

How many passengers are permitted on a flight?

The number of passengers depends on the size of the airplane. Some pilots fly 2-seat airplanes, which means they can take only one passenger at a time. Some pilots fly 4-seat airplanes, which means they can take up to three passengers at a time. The maximum number of Young Eagles per flight is three.

What aircraft will be used?

Our Chapter members own and fly a wide variety of aircraft.  There is no guarantee that any specific plane will be available at any specific event.  The aircraft range from 2 to 6 seats. Almost all aircraft have single engines; however, on occasion there may be a twin engine aircraft flying.

Is a parent required to be present at the event?

Absolutely! The parent (or legal guardian) must sign a waiver at the event. Due to legal and insurance constraints, we cannot allow grandparents/extended family or friends sign the waiver. A parent must be physically present at the event.

Would a parent be permitted to fly along?

Only as an exception on very rare occasions, such as when a Special Needs child requires the accompaniment of his/her care giver.  We have found that most children benefit the most when not accompanied by another adult and the pilot can concentrate on the Young Eagle(s).

More information about Young Eagles on EAA website 

If you have any further questions, please contact our Young Eagles Coordinator