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  Home Page » News » Durango Kids Experience Freedom Accessibility Of Flying

Durango kids experience freedom, accessibility of flying

by Garrett Andrews
Herald Staff Writer No pilot forgets his first time up.

So it's entirely possible that, in 50 years, some of the 30 kids who took flights across the Durango area Saturday will remember the day.

The local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association held its Young Eagles day at the Animas Air Park, a nationwide event intended to spark interest in aviation and give kids a chance to ride in private airplanes.

Kids sat in the front seats with instruments and a control yoke before them, and wore headsets for communicating with the pilot. After returning, each Eagle got a certificate and a glossy copy of a photo snapped by EAA Chapter 997 President Harold Johnson before each plane took off.

The association put on the event for free.

"At this airport, we're accessible. The planes are accessible, the pilots are accessible," said association member Bob Hutter.

He said safety restrictions at other airports make flying seem overly mechanical and inaccessible to kids. Right now, Animas Air Park has no fence around it; interested parties can walk right up, check out the planes and talk to the pilots. He said safety precautions exist for a reason, but being low-key also has its advantages.

"We enjoy the fact that there's no fence just because flying is all about being free and the ability to get up in the air and fly around, go to some distant place and do so relatively unhindered," Hutter said.

Before heading up, all were briefed on the two major rules of the air park: no smoking around the airplanes and don't touch the propellers.

Few of the children violated the first rule, and all kept their hands away from the magnetized propellers, which can start up with even the softest touch if the wiring inside is broken.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 501 were there, tossing airplanes made from Styrofoam plates across the hangar as they waited their turns.

A sweaty Chase Pierson looked a little queasy after his second ride of the day. In fairness to the 12-year-old scout, with the weather picking up throughout the morning, the flights got choppier as the day went on, and he handled his fear better than this Herald reporter.

Pilot Mike Hately said not to worry about the gusts.

"It was awesome. I thought everything looked like little toys," said Pierson, who was sure to call "shotgun" before heading up on his second trip.

EAA member Rich Stewart was coordinating the rides.

"It's just a good way to get the kids out here; it's better than video games, you know," he said. "This time of year, it's particularly beautiful because everything's green."

Founding chapter President Lee Bernhardt said aviation created in him a sense of awe as a child, a lifelong feeling. The 77-year-old retired from his career as an aerospace engineer in 1986.

"I never had to work for a living; I got to be around airplanes all day, eight hours a day," he said.

Also taking part were four kids from the Adaptive Sports Association. None of them had ridden in a small aircraft before.

"It's just another way for these guys to get out and experience new things and help them push their limits," said Ann Marie Meighan, program manager for Adaptive Sports.

Ashley Beach, 10, flew the plane over the Animas River, past some last remaining snow near Smelter Mountain. She said she was nervous at first, but it passed.

Ashley's mother, Kim, said her daughter has left hemiparetic cerebral palsy, brought on by a stroke at  at the age of 6 months.

Kim Beach was told to look up Adaptive Sports by Ashley's neurologist in Oklahoma, before moving to Durango four years ago.

"I just like to get up high," said Ashley. "I like to go fast."

gandrews@durangoherald.com