Inspiring kids to soar

As a child, Bill Schertz always wanted to go flying.

It wasn't until later in life when he realized that dream. Now Schertz flies planes and is even building one himself. On Sunday, he'll be among the pilots at the Aurora Municipal Airport giving kids a chance to fly through the friendly skies at Young Eagle Day.

Pilots from the Fox Valley Sport Aviation Association -- a chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association -- volunteer their time and the cost of the flights in hopes of sparking interest in aviation among the younger crowd.

"We're giving them the opportunity to experience it (flight)," said Schertz, who serves as the Fox Valley Sport Aviation Association's secretary.

"Some who have gotten their first flight with Young Eagles and then have become pilots have flown other Young Eagles themselves," he said.

Flights will be offered for children ages 6 to 17 in light aircraft from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The group, which offers the program four times a year, also will take children for free flights again on Oct. 28 at the Aurora Municipal Airport, at 43W636 Route 30 in Sugar Grove.

"We want them to see how neat it is," said chapter president Dick Low.

Schertz said he enjoys seeing the expressions on his passengers' faces as they take to the skies and sharing his passion for flying with others.

"The view is fantastic," said Schertz, who took his first flying lesson in 1994. "The world looks different from up there than it does from the ground."

Low, who also is a flight instructor, occasionally gives his passengers more than a good view.

"If they're interested, I'll let them see what it's like to handle the controls," Low said, adding his plane has dual controls so he can still keep the plane in check.

All passengers get information on what it takes to get a pilot's license, a poster of a typical aircraft panel and a picture of themselves with their pilot.

Low noted that getting a pilot's license can be expensive and time consuming, but the club helps those who are sincerely interested in aviation. The club, for example, sponsors two children a year to a camp the Experimental Aviation Association hosts in Oshkosh, Wis.

"This is a significant financial commitment if you want to go ahead, but there are ways of reducing it," he said.

The club has been participating in the Young Eagles program since 1993 and has flown more than 11,000 passengers through the years.

For additional information, call (630) 466-4579. All participants must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

If you go

What: Young Eagle Day, where kids 6 to 17 years old can fly with an experienced pilot

When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday and Oct. 28

Where: Aurora Municipal Airport, at 43W636 Route 30 in Sugar Grove.

Info: (630) 466-4579