Young Eagles Event gets kids interested in aviation amid increased need for airline pilots

Dubuque, Iowa (KCRG) - Charles Weber got his pilot’s license in high school.

After a career in medicine, he now leads the Dubuque EAA Chapter 327 and is helping inspire the next generation of aviators.

“For me, when I was in high school, I got a ride like this from people, and it just kindled an interest in me,” Weber said. “I thought if I can pass this test to become a pilot that I can do most anything I want in life, and so I’m really enjoying introducing other young people to flight, the way that I was when I was younger.”

Members of the Dubuque Civil Air Patrol taught kids all about airplanes, from flying in a simulator, to showing them the cockpit of a plane, all to help their interest in aviation take off.

The 100 kids who took part in the event like Colton Edwards also got to fly in planes over the Dubuque area.

Colton Edwards says he learned a lot about how planes work and wants to be a pilot when he grows up.

”Because I just really want to travel all over the world, and take my family on vacations,” Edwards said.

Data from US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows they expect over 18,000 openings for commercial and airline pilots every year.

But last year the FAA issued less than 10,000 of the licenses required to fly commercial airliners, creating significant demand from airline companies.

“So we just got off the plane with three young girls, and I was telling them about the tremendous opportunities there are for pilot training now that the airlines are really short, and it’s a good time to be a pilot,” Weber said.

For more information on Young Eagles, click here.

Copyright 2023 KCRG. All rights reserved.