Libertyville pilot volunteers to take kids to new heights

Editor's note: The story was updated to reflect that the correct name of Bob Lasecki's company is Mitchell Aircraft Products Inc. in McHenry.

Bob Lasecki fell in love with flying at a very young age, and he has spent much of the last 18 years sharing that experience with children.

The 74-year-old Libertyville man says he's taken about 425 children on official free rides through the Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagles program. He's also taken other children and their families on rides during private events.

"One of the most enjoyable things about the kids' experience is seeing their reaction to the view from the front seat," Lasecki said. "Most of the time, it opens up their perspective of the vastness of our area, as well as the world of possibilities for them."

Born in upstate New York to a father who was involved in oil refinery construction, Lasecki said he spent much of his childhood traveling the world. In addition to the U.S., he lived in India and Venezuela before attending high school in Oklahoma, then college in Southern California.

"Traveling created an interest in airplanes and flight," he said. "It was (my second) job after college, in 1965, when I worked for Hughes Aircraft that I got interested in general aviation" and began to fly.

When he learned Hughes had a flying club, he began to take lessons. Flying became his career and his passion.

After moving to Libertyville, he bought his first airplane in 1972 and joined the EAA chapter that flew out of Waukegan.

EAA created the Young Eagles program in 1992 to introduce kids between the ages of 8 and 17 to the world of aviation. All the pilots donate their time and cover all the expenses to take kids in their planes or in those they rent for the day.

Due to his love of children and the fact the program is free to the kids and their families, Lasecki offered his support in 2000.

Lasecki loves to fly with his wife and share the experience with kids. He's involved in EAA chapter rallies throughout the year and he's working on plans to take fourth-grade students at H.R. McCall Elementary School in Waukegan up for a flight.

"His heart is in aviation and doing good for kids," said his wife, Arlyss. "Bob is a genuine, unpretentious man who gets excited seeing the joy in their eyes and body language and how they are in awe of how much fun this is."

In addition to providing free flights of up to 30 minutes and a certificate of participation, Young Eagle participants have their names entered into the world's largest log book, receive a certificate for a free flying lesson and are awarded access to the entire ground school manual.

They also receive a student membership to the Academy of Model Aeronautics, a subscription to the EAA monthly magazine, a free pass for themselves and their families to visit any of the 300 science museums across the country. Each also becomes eligible for educational scholarships and flight training awards.

Lasecki is owner and president of Mitchell Aircraft Products Inc. in McHenry. He starting flying with a private pilot rating, before he graduated to multi-engine and full instrument ratings, then to commercial pilot.

Two years ago, he received the prestigious Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation for 50 years of contributing to aviation safety.

He's also a technical counselor - an appointment made by EAA because of his expertise and proficiency in building and maintaining aircraft.

Diamond Lake resident and Young Eagles chapter leader Ed Willgress said Lasecki is an outgoing guy who's committed to getting kids involved in aviation.

"Bob is one of the people who has led to the success of the program; one of the mainstay pilots we can depend on who goes out of his way to make sure he can actively participate," Willgress said.

Lasecki said he's provided the flying experience to a variety of students, including those in wheelchairs, and sometimes stayed after a Young Eagles rally ended to take up a child who arrived late.

"The thrill of working with kids and my love for flying are most rewarding," he said. "I love flying with kids above anything, simply because I love to share their enjoyment and the thrill they experience. It's just as exhilarating to us as pilots as to them. We get to share something we love and open a whole new world of possibilities to them."

Feldman said Young Eagles is important because there's a commercial pilot shortage and the program introduces kids to a profession where they can earn a decent living.

Tapping into its network of volunteer pilots and other volunteers, the EAA program has served more than 2 million youngsters, many of whom might never have had an opportunity to fly or learn about the world of career possibilities available in this field, Feldman said. About 20 percent of new pilots began their interest in flying because of this program, he added.

Willgress said kids love flying with Lasecki, and other pilots look up to him as well.

"He may be the oldest active pilot in the group, but he has a very young spirit," Willgress said