KIDS FLY FREE AT THE MOORE COUNTY AIRPORT ON MAY 4, 2024
Experimental Aircraft Association Hosts the Young Eagles Event
CARTHAGE, NC– The local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) will conduct the biannual Young Eagles Kids Fly Free day on Saturday May 4th at the Moore County Airport, sponsored by Sandhills Fliers, Pinecrest High School Junior ROTC, the Civil Air Patrol and EAA Chapter 1220. Children, ages 8 to 17, are offered free airplane rides on privately-owned airplanes to introduce and educate them on the art of flight. This event has become a highlight at the airport with local pilots volunteering their time and aircraft to provide an unforgettable experience for the participants.
The Young Eagles program is designed to inspire the next generation of pilots and aviation enthusiasts. By providing children with the opportunity to experience flight firsthand, the program hopes to spark an interest in aviation and encourage children to pursue careers in the industry. It also supports the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs in the surrounding county schools.
“We are pleased to continue to host the Young Eagles event each year at our airport,” said airport Director Rick Cloutier. Each time we host the event we have a record number of junior fliers, and we are thankful for our base customers and area pilots that donate their time to provide these flights for the children of Moore County.”
The Moore County Airport Young Eagles event is the latest offering of a program that has been running twice each year since the early 2000s. The local pilot group has flown more than 8,000 children, and each ride also generates “award points” for the EAA chapter. These points have been used over the years to provide scholarships for a dozen local aeronautically enthusiastic high school students to the giant AirVenture airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin each July.
“Introducing the art of flying to a child or teen has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had as a pilot,” said Jim Murray, Young Eagles coordinator for the local EAA Chapter. “We are still actively soliciting local and regional pilots to donate their time to provide these memorable flights during the Young Eagles event. We are grateful to the Moore County Airport for sponsoring the event and providing fuel for the participating aircraft.”
The event is scheduled between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm and is open to children ages 8 to 17. On-site registration is easy, and the EAA asks that parents or guardians accompany their children to the event and stay on-site during the flight. They also recommend that children dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Depending on the weather, the number of children and when they arrive, the wait times for each flight usually are under an hour.
The program is designed to be a fun and educational experience for children. Before the flight, each child receives a briefing from their pilot, explaining the basic principles of flight and the controls of the airplane. The pilot answers any
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questions the children may have. Once the briefing is complete, the child will board the airplane and take to the skies.
The normal route is north to Carthage, then southwesterly to Pinehurst and then east to Southern Pines. Most flights last 15-20 minutes at an altitude of 2,500 feet.
The EAA’s Young Eagles program has been instrumental in inspiring the next generation of pilots and aviation enthusiasts. By offering free airplane rides to children, the program has made aviation accessible to young people who may not otherwise have had the opportunity to experience flight. The program has also played a role in addressing the shortage of pilots in the aviation industry by encouraging young people to pursue careers in aviation.
The Civil Air Patrol will be onsite during the event selling hot dogs and concession foods as a fundraiser for their organization.
About Moore County Airport
The Moore County Airport was established in 1929 when the Tufts family, founders, and operators of the Pinehurst Resort, opened a dirt runway and named it “Knollwood Airport.” The airport was acquired by Moore County in 1935 and was later leased to the U.S. Army Air Corps until 1945, when it transitioned from a military airfield to a commercial airfield. The Pinehurst-Southern Pines Airport enjoyed limited commercial airline service from Piedmont Airlines (later USAir) but that service was discontinued following September 11, 2001.
Today, the Moore County Airport is a vibrant hub for private aircraft and corporate charter flights arriving and departing to and from Moore County. The airport is operated and maintained by the Moore County Airport Authority, with a mission to be an engine of economic growth and opportunity for the Moore County community and region through the provision of excellent aeronautical support to the visitors, airport tenants, and to the business and military communities.
Moore County Airport (KSOP), located just minutes away from Pinehurst and Southern Pines, North Carolina, is the “Gateway to the Home of American Golf.” The premier general aviation jetport welcomes pilots and passengers to a destination that is rich in history, tradition, and true southern hospitality. The airport offers a full range of amenities and services for private aircraft and provides flight training, aircraft maintenance and charter flight services.
Connect with Moore County Airport:
Website: www.moorecountyairport.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/moorecountyairport
Instagram: www.instagram.com/moorecountyairport/
