By CARLEY WALKER, STEM Flights Director of Development
I recognize some people reading this might consider the title of this article as clickbait.
Others reading this will be a little startled at the bold statement with advice on how to manage your own aircraft, while some others might think “no problem, wasn’t planning on it.”
Whatever side of that sentiment you fall on, I urge you to never fly a kid under the age of 18 in your aircraft — unless he or she is signed up in a formal program that can give follow-up resources and support.
When kids are enrolled in a free aviation program, they receive so many benefits that many pilots alone cannot offer, such as mentoring, free ground school, internship and camp recommendations, additional flying opportunities, flight training scholarship support, and career pathway exploration.
We’ve all wanted to give a kid a ride in our airplane, hoping to inspire that next generation, or at the very least give them a thrilling experience they will remember forever.
These rides can be life changing, which is why you owe it to the student to give them follow-up resources that can help them on their aviation journey.
I can’t tell you how many students STEM Flights pilots have flown that were not sure about a career in aviation or aerospace, but after the resources and support they received from our organization, they found it easier to navigate the pathway into flight training or other aviation-related careers.
Signing kids up for STEM Flights or other aviation programs — such as the Civil Air Patrol, and the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles program and AeroEducate — takes just minutes and gives them a lifetime of follow-up support.
And, in a recent development, STEM Flights is collaborating with EAA’s AeroEducate program so that STEM Flights students have access to AeroEducate’s resources and AeroEducate’s students have the opportunity to take a flight with a STEM Flights volunteer.
When you are donating a flight to a young person, you are hoping that something takes hold and perhaps you have just lit the spark, adding back into the already small population of humans that fly planes. This is why it’s so important to take that spark to the next level, to give the kids something they can build on.
How Does It Work?
Each organization has its own requirements for introductory flights, from age restrictions to “homework” required before or after a flight.
At STEM Flights, students are required to submit an online application, upload a letter of recommendation, and complete a STEM and aviation curriculum.
When students have “skin in the game,” the flight experience is productive for both pilot and student. When you fly a kid who really wants to be there, who has done homework and given extra time, it is much more enjoyable and engaging.
After several years of tracking student outcomes after a STEM Flight, we have data that shows our flights and volunteer pilots create pathways into aviation and aerospace careers.
We only ask that our pilots fly safe, have fun, and encourage the students. We take care of the rest: Help with scholarships, career exploration, additional mentoring, and more.
Pilots who have 250 hours, a private pilot’s certificate, and access to an aircraft are invited to apply as a volunteer pilot/mentor. We do not offer flight instruction.
STEM Flights also has a mobile app, which makes it easy for volunteer pilots to see available flights in your area.
Signing up to fly with STEM Flights is easy and the training can be completed online in under 30 minutes.
So don’t give a ride to a kid — become a mentor to a deserving student who truly wants to be in your aircraft. Flight experiences change lives.
For more information: STEMFlights.org, EAA.org, AeroEducate.org, GoCivilAirPatrol.com
