On Friday, June 13th, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, the skies over Morden will open once again for aspiring young pilots. The Morden Flying Club is hosting its second annual Young Aviators event, offering free flights for youth aged 12 to 16, alongside a hands-on introduction to the world of aviation.
“Last year, during one of our meetings, somebody asked the question, what inspired the pilots here to get their licence and get into aviation?” said Reynold Hildebrand, one of the organizers. “The stories that came up a lot were that they had their first ride from their uncle, from a friend... and that just sparked the interest”.
That spark is what the Morden Flying Club hopes to ignite in dozens of local youth. Roughly seven planes and a group of experienced volunteer pilots are scheduled to participate, aiming to give around 60 rides, just as they did last year. With demand expected to be high, early registration is encouraged.
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Learning in the sky
The event begins with a pre-flight safety and education session, where participants learn how airplanes work. “Somebody will take them around an airplane, demonstrate all the control surfaces, what makes an airplane fly, and some of the cockpit stuff,” said Hildebrand. “Just in general stuff like that, so they have an idea of how an airplane actually flies and works”.
Each young participant must have a parent or guardian sign a waiver, and they are also asked to include a short note about why they want to fly. It’s a small touch, but one that helps foster a personal connection with aviation. As Hildebrand put it, “I think that’s the key to life—you know, just to have fun with whatever circumstances you’re in”.
The day of
The June 13th event also coincides with the club’s Fly Day Friday, a casual fly-in dinner that happens three times each summer. Pilots from across Manitoba will arrive for a barbecue supper, where the youth participants receive a free meal—hot dog, fries, and drink—while parents are welcome to purchase their own.
People can register for the Young Aviators by emailing flywithmfc@gmail.com and can find more information at the Morden Flying Club Facebook Page.
Whether it’s the beginning of a lifelong journey or simply a moment to remember, the Morden Flying Club’s Young Aviators is designed to provide youth with a perspective that they perhaps have not considered as a possibility before—a few hundred feet in the sky.