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BOZEMAN - - What does General Chuck Yeager, the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound, have in common with 45 4-H'ers in Flathead Valley?
Answer: They all are Young Eagles, and they've all experienced the thrill of seeing mountains, fields and scenery drift by from thousands of feet above the Earth.
Last July, 45 4-H'ers toured the skies over Kalispell in two-seater Eurocoupe flyer airplanes. The youth enjoyed one-on-one flight experience with Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Aviation Foundation pilots from Texas, Arizona, California, Washington, Oregon and Nevada.
"It was a little bit scary," said Karl Lidstrom, a member of the Cattle Kings 4-H Club. "Especially on the take-off."
Karl said it was a great day for flying -- really sunny -- and they could see for miles. He estimated they were in flight for about half an hour.
Tory Krause, a Country Cousins 4-H'er, said the pilots helped alleviate any fears by guiding their passengers through a pre-flight safety check.
"We had to check out the plane first, and they showed us where we had to check before we flew. We flew all around the valley and then we landed and got a certificate," Tory said.
Pilots also instructed 4-H'ers in safety procedures and aeronautical chart reading.
EAA pilots developed the Young Eagles program to welcome young people into the world of aviation. Pilots donated their time, planes and fuel for the thrilling flights.
Even some of the older eagles (4-H parents) waiting on the ground
were treated to flights.
From the 4-H Clover Project Selection Guide
