YES Teens
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Teens in the Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program’s Aerospace component took to the sky this summer. Thanks to the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles Program, the YES Teens had the opportunity not just to step inside a cockpit, but take the controls themselves.

Following two rain delays in June and July, the YES Teens finally arrived at St. Charles County Airport with clear skies and an open runway.

There, the teens took turns sharing the cockpit with co-pilot David Brickhaus. Mr. Brickhaus, part of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) local chapter and Young Eagles Program, offered the use of his plane so that the teens could put their STEAM skills in aeronautics and flight into action.

The Young Eagles Program, a national initiative from the EAA dedicated to giving kids under the age of 18 their first ride in an airplane, aims to introduce youth to the exciting world of aviation. Each month during the summer the program offers free opportunities for kids to experience an introductory flight. But the YES Teens got to take things one step further: they were actually able to take control of the plane.

Of course, putting the YES Teens behind a yoke and throttle came following a period of education, preparation, and practice.

Kerry Stevison, who manages the YES Program’s Aerospace component, explains that the teens gain quite a bit of experience by the time they get in an actual plane. According to Kerry, as part of the component teens learn the fundamentals of flying under the guidance of professional instructors using the Science Center’s flight simulators.

This year, instructors Carmelo Turdo, Kevin Meyer, Jeffrey Rapp, and Mr. Brickhaus helped guide the teens. And after practicing roughly three times a week over the course of two months, they were ready to try their hand at the controls of a real world airplane.

While the thought of piloting a plane might sound intimidating to some, one YES Teen in particular took to flying like a natural.

“My flight was amazing,” says Ja’Mez Brown-Craig, a junior in the YES Program. Lasting about a half hour, Ja’Mez’s flight gave him the opportunity to practice making coordinated turns and 30-, 45-, and 360-degree turns. “I was really getting used to flying the plane and doing my best at staying calm,” he says. “But the overall experience was great. I can’t wait to do it again.”

Ja’Mez even has aspirations to pursue a career as a pilot, making his flight this summer something of a dream come true. His family came out to watch him fly, too. “The flight set me on a straight path to getting me to my career,” he says, “and I want to thank the Science Center for making my career path start earlier than I expected.”

YES Teen Ja'Mez

 

Images courtesy of The Aero Experience.


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