AVIATION EXPLORATION KICK-OFF & PARENT ORIENTATION

We are excited to have your family join us for another year of Aviation Exploration with True North!

Friday, August 28, 2026 | 2:30–3:30 PM | Join via Zoom

During our Kick-Off & Parent Orientation, we’ll walk through how Aviation Exploration works, where to begin, how to use this resource page, and some of the aviation opportunities available to your student throughout the year.

Can’t join us live? Watch the 2026–2027 Kick-Off & Parent Orientation Replay (link updated after meeting).

We will also email important information, new opportunities, field trips, and next steps throughout the year. Updates will be added to this resource page as well so that families have one centralized place to reference Aviation Exploration information.

BEFORE OR AFTER THE KICK-OFF

Check out these Young Eagles videos to introduce your student to the program:

• “Young Eagles — 30 Years of Inspiring the Next Generation”

• 3 Things to Know About the Young Eagles Program

• I Am A Young Eagle

Then continue below to begin working through the EAA Young Eagles Flight Plan.

STEP 1 | Take a First Flight — EAA Young Eagles

Take a first flight* through EAA Young Eagles events. Become a Young Eagle with a free exploration flight! Taste the freedom of flight that most people only dream about. Get ready to have the experience of your lifetime. Young Eagles flight completion required to access the next four steps of the Flight Plan. Find a flight in your local area today!

Ages: 8-17

Find a Young Eagles Flight Near You:

STEP 2 | Activate Your FREE EAA Student Membership

After completing a Young Eagles flight, eligible students can activate their complimentary EAA Student Membership. If you opted in when registering online for the Young Eagles flight, the membership may already be activated. Otherwise, use the unique code in your Young Eagles Flight Logbook to activate your membership and associated Flight Plan benefits.

STEP 3 | Explore EAA AeroEducate

Explore aviation anytime through AeroEducate, EAA’s online aviation learning platform for K–12 students. Students can complete age-based aviation and STEM activities, tackle design challenges, explore aviation careers, earn badges, and continue learning at home throughout the year.

Have a student under age 8? Start here! AeroEducate can be used by K–12 students even before they are old enough for a Young Eagles flight.

STEP 4 | FREE Online Ground School with Sporty’s

With EAA Student Member, receive free 24/7 access to Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course ($299 value), an interactive online course using real-world video and incredible 3D animations to help students learn the basics of flight. Plus, EAA reimburses when pass FAA written exam ($175 value). Sporty’s puts students in the cockpit for a “pilot’s-eye view” of everything seen during flight lessons.
This course is recommended for students ages 13 and up.

Check out the Sporty’s Learn to Fly Demo and Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course Video

Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course ($299 value) includes: complete online ground school course, free first flight lesson* ($160 value), reimbursement for successful completion of the FAA Knowledge Exam ($175 value), HD videos and FAA test prep materials

*Upon completion of the first three volumes of the Sporty's Learn to Fly Course

Note: In order to activate your free student membership, you must have completed a Young Eagles® flight and received a logbook with a code on the back.

How do I sign up? Once your student signs up for free EAA student membership, there will be an option to register for Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course at the same time. Sporty’s will then email directly with your username and password.

STEP 5 | Earn a FREE First Flight Lesson

After completing the first three volumes of the Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course, your student will qualify for a free first flight lesson at a flight school of choice ($160 value). Sporty’s will contact EAA once there is completion of the first three volumes and EAA will then mail a waiver to be signed by parents. This waiver is sent back to EAA and once received by EAA the voucher will be emailed with instructions on how to redeem it.

Eligibility: Students must have completed a Young Eagles flight, completed the first three volumes of the Sporty’s course, and meet EAA’s current age requirements.

What should I do after my flight lesson? Sign up for more flight lessons and work toward earning a pilot certificate!

READY TO GO FURTHER? CONTINUING INTO FLIGHT TRAINING

How to Find & Select the Right Flight School

Search for a flight school in your area.

How to Select the Right Flight School:

1. Verify Accreditation & Certifications

   • Ensure the school is approved by the relevant aviation authority (FAA, EASA, etc.).

   • Check the school’s safety record.

2. Evaluate Aircraft & Facilities

   • Modern, well-maintained aircraft.

   • Access to simulators and quality training facilities.

3. Review Instructor Quality

   • Experienced instructors with strong student pass rates.

   • Consistent instructor availability.

4. Compare Training Programs

   • Confirm the school offers the licenses and ratings you need (PPL, Instrument, Commercial, CFI, etc.).

   • Review training structure and flexibility.

5. Understand Total Costs

   • Request a detailed cost breakdown.

   • Ask about additional fees, fuel surcharges, and retest costs.

6. Check Completion & Placement Rates

   • High student completion rates.

   • Strong airline or industry partnerships if pursuing a professional career.

7. Assess Location & Weather

   • Favor locations with good year-round flying weather to reduce training delays.

8. Talk to Current Students

   • Ask about instructor quality, aircraft availability, scheduling, and overall experience.

Quick Rule: Choose the school that offers the best combination of safety, instructor quality, aircraft availability, transparent pricing, and career alignment — not simply the lowest cost.

EAA’s Learn to Fly Week | May 10–15, 2027 — Tentative

Interested in learning more about what it takes to become a pilot? EAA’s Learn to Fly Week is a free virtual event designed to help aspiring pilots explore the process of learning to fly. Throughout the week, EAA offers online presentations covering topics such as getting started with flight training, choosing a flight school or instructor, understanding training requirements and costs, and exploring different pathways into aviation.

Save the tentative dates for 2027! We’ll update this page with confirmed dates and registration information as EAA releases additional details.

If you are not able to attend a live webinar, make sure to check out the recordings of all the sessions.

EAA Aviation Scholarships

EAA offers multiple scholarship opportunities for students pursuing aviation, including:

• Flight Training Scholarships — One application allows students to be considered for multiple EAA scholarships for flight training, pilot certificates, ratings, and endorsements.

• Post-Secondary Scholarships — Funding for aviation-related college, university, and trade-school programs, including professional flight, aerospace engineering, aviation maintenance, air traffic control, aviation business, and other aviation/STEM fields.

• Ray Aviation Scholarship — A separate, chapter-administered program providing eligible youth with up to $12,000 toward flight training, along with mentorship from a participating local EAA chapter.

Good to Know: Students must generally be at least 16 years old to apply for EAA flight-training or post-secondary scholarships. The general application window is currently October 1–December 19 each year.

Additional Aviation Resources

While you are working through the Young Eagles Flight Plan, EAA has additional programs and resources that you might find helpful.

• Fly Gliders! Glider Training Bundle - Gliding is a great way to get started in aviation and our friends at Fly Gliders! are here to help.

Additional Aviation Student Memberships

Students can expand their aviation experience through additional aviation organization memberships. Eligible students may receive complimentary or discounted memberships that provide access to educational resources, publications, events, communities, and other aviation opportunities.

• SSA — Soaring Society of America → gliders/soaring

• AMA — Academy of Model Aeronautics → model aviation, RC aircraft, STEM and aeromodelling

• AOPA — Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association → broader general aviation and pilot resources

**AOPA membership is for ages 13-20

Science & Technology Museum Admission

EAA membership may also provide access to participating science and technology museums through the ASTC Travel Passport Program. Check the current participating museum list and eligibility requirements before visiting. Other EAA memberships receive this benefit as well.

Adventures of Aviore - Aviation Comic Book Series

Read The Adventures of Aviore: Who is Aviore? Jake Peregrine Howard — Perry to his friends — is a young high school student living on a farm just outside of Wichita, Kansas, who’s infatuated with the eagles and hawks he’s seen soaring in the skies above him. Then, an EAA Young Eagles Program flight at the local airport — his first time in the air — changes his life forever. The event triggers a powerful transformation of both mind and body, as his senses became more acute and his mind sharpens, and Perry becomes a superhero, dedicating his life to using the power of flight to help those in need. As Aviore’s legend grows in tandem with his burgeoning superpowers, he becomes an inspiration to young people all over the world, encouraging them to follow their passions and find their place in the sky.

Created by Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee and EAA CEO Jack J. Pelton, Aviore is a partnership between EAA and the Stan Lee Foundation, in an effort to develop aviation-related content that will encourage kids to get involved in all aspects of aviation.

Infinite Flight | Mobile Flight Simulator

Infinite Flight offers the most comprehensive flight simulator experience on mobile devices, whether you are a curious novice or a decorated pilot. Sit in the captain’s seat in a beautiful virtual cockpit, or enjoy the views from multiple on-board and external cameras. Step into the cockpit of dozens of commercial, military and general aviation aircraft.

MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR

Bring aviation exploration home with Microsoft Flight Simulator. Students can explore highly detailed aircraft, airports, weather, navigation, flight planning, cockpit systems, and destinations around the world through an immersive flight simulation experience.

For students interested in pursuing aviation further, flight simulation can also provide a fun way to become familiar with cockpit layouts, aircraft controls, aviation procedures, navigation, radio communications, and different aviation careers. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 even includes a career mode where students can explore aviation roles and missions ranging from search and rescue to aerial firefighting and other types of flying.

Flight simulation is an educational and recreational tool and is not a substitute for FAA-approved flight instruction or training.

Recommended for: Students who want to go deeper into flying, aircraft systems, aviation careers, or simply experience aviation from home.

Sport Aviation Digital Magazine

EAA Student Membership includes FREE digital copy of EAA Sport Aviation magazine, the award-winning monthly magazine that covers the full spectrum of EAA association activity. From the production aircraft parked in the North 40 on the AirVenture grounds to warbirds, homebuilts, vintage aircraft, ultralights, and lightplanes, it delivers the information, knowledge, entertainment, and value that EAA members want. Eye-catching photo galleries, videos, interactive graphics, and links to other resources online when they read the digital version of the magazine.

Careers in Aviation

Resources to explore different types of careers in the aviation industry:

• Turn this love of aviation into a rewarding, profitable, and fun career. There are many opportunities available to pursue, not only as a pilot. Help lead flight into the future with a career in aviation!

  • Pilots: There are many ways to make a living as a pilot, from a flight instructor to a commercial airline pilot

  • Airports: A variety of careers are associated directly with airport operations

  • Airlines: Find a career one of the largest employing industries out there today

  • Aircraft Manufacturing: From small single-engine personal aircraft all the way to gigantic transports, you could be building the airplanes of tomorrow

  • Government Careers: Many opportunities are available in not only with the FAA, NTSB, and NASA, but also with state and local governments

• EAA’s Career in Aviation Videos – There are a number of career tracks in the aviation industry. Check out some of those careers in this video series!

Aviation Career Symposium @ Wings Over the Rockies

An educational event, typically held in April, that connects students and aviation enthusiasts with industry professionals to explore careers in aviation, aerospace, military aviation, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, engineering, and related fields. Program content, speakers, and activities vary by year.

Free admission for EAA Student Members and EAA Members!

*Students: Do not pre-purchase your ticket. To receive free admission, please bring your school ID to show at the admissions desk. Students with a valid school ID will receive free admission for this event!

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh | July 26 - August 1, 2027

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is the world’s largest aviation gathering, bringing together pilots, aircraft owners, aviation enthusiasts, industry leaders, and families for a week-long celebration of flight in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Hosted annually by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the event features daily air shows, thousands of aircraft on display, hands-on workshops, educational forums, aviation technology exhibits, and family-friendly activities that showcase the history, innovation, and future of aviation.

Dates: July 26 - August 1, 2027

Also, check out photo gallery

Behind the Wings

Behind the Wings covers the most exciting stories in aviation and space. Get up-close looks at iconic aircraft, dive into design and development history, and explore the future of aerospace. It’s time to go Behind the Wings!

Living in the Age of Airplanes

Narrated by Harrison Ford and filmed in 18 countries across all seven continents, this giant-screen documentary explores how the airplane transformed the modern world. Through breathtaking aerial cinematography, it reveals how aviation connects people, cultures, commerce, and ideas on a large scale while inspiring a renewed appreciation for the wonder of flight.

The Magic of Flight

The Magic of Flight explores how flight works, beginning with birds and the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight in 1903, then progressing through the evolution of aviation to modern high-performance aircraft. The film features the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, carrier aviation, and advanced jet technology while highlighting the skill, training, and human performance required to fly these machines. Narrated by Tom Selleck, it combines aviation history, science, and spectacular IMAX aerial photography.

The Blue Angels

Soar with The Blue Angels in a brand-new documentary featuring never-before-seen footage that chronicles a year with the Navy's elite Flight Demonstration Squadron—from selection through the challenging training and demanding show season—showcasing the extraordinary teamwork, passion, and pride that fuels America's best, the Blue Angels.

Aircraft Carrier: Guardian of the Seas

Experience life aboard a modern U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carrier as thousands of sailors and aviators prepare for and participate in RIMPAC, the world’s largest maritime training exercise. Featuring stunning IMAX cinematography, the film explores the technology, engineering, and human effort behind one of the most complex machines ever built while showcasing flight operations, advanced aircraft, and international naval cooperation.

First Flights with Kate Broug — documentary series

Discover the incredible stories behind aviation’s greatest milestones through First Flights with Kate Broug. From WWII history and aircraft restoration to spaceflight, innovation, and modern aerospace technology, this documentary series inspires curiosity while introducing students to the people and careers that continue to shape the future of flight.

Wings Over the Rockies - Exploration of Flight Showcases (Centennial)

Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight hosts a variety of aviation-themed showcases and special events throughout the year, typically on select Saturdays from 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Topics may include aircraft operations, aviation careers, military aviation, aerobatics, helicopters, warbirds, drones, safety, aviation history, experimental aircraft, and other aviation-related subjects. Event offerings and timing vary from year to year, and not all showcases are held annually.

Free admission for EAA Student Members and EAA Members!

Air N’ Space-A-Palooza - June 2027 - TentATIVE

Step into the future of aviation as we bring together aerospace companies for a day of hands-on STEAM exploration! From cutting-edge technology to real-world career paths, this experience offers an exciting look at the people and ideas driving the future of flight and space exploration. We’re proud to feature our usual experiences, plus new educational activities!

The best part is, it’s completely FREE!

Discover:

• The thrill of flight simulators

• Live and interactive science demonstrations

• Meet representatives from companies such as Blue Origin, NASA, United, and more

• Watch aircraft fly in and out on our tarmac

There is no better place to explore the exciting world of aerospace!

Date: Jun 2027 (Tentative)

Location: At Wings Over the Rockies (Exploration of Flight) — Centennial Campus

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cadet Program - ColoradO wing

Build leadership, aviation knowledge, and real-world experience through aerospace education, flight opportunities, emergency services, and teamwork. An excellent pathway for students who want to explore aviation careers and develop skills that last a lifetime.

The following squadrons have a large group of homeschool Cadets:

• RMR CO159 — Air Academy Cadet Squadron (meets at USAFA)

• RMR-CO-173 — Parker Composite Squadron

Young Aviators Club (Erie)

There is also a dedicated youth aviation organization called Young Aviators Chapter 43 based at Erie Municipal Airport. They hold monthly meetings, projects, field trips, and often coordinate activities around Young Eagles flights.

They are a special group formed by the EAA Chapter 43 for young students whose interest and passion for aviation goes beyond that of their Young Eagles Flight. Their group gives kids from 12-18 the opportunity to be a part of the aviation community on a regular basis and learn more about aircraft and flying.

12th Annual Girls in Aviation Day - September 19, 2026

Girls in Aviation Day introduces girls to the exciting world of aviation and aerospace. Hosted by the Mile High Chapter of Women in Aviation International at MSU Denver’s Aviation & Aerospace department, the event features hands-on STEM activities, aircraft exhibits, and opportunities to meet pilots and other aviation professionals. Its goal is to inspire the next generation of aviators, engineers, and aerospace leaders by providing a fun, interactive introduction to aviation careers and opportunities.

Date: September 19, 2026
Time: 10:00-2:00pm
Location: MSU Denver Aviation & Aerospace Building (1250 7th St, Denver, CO 80204)
Ages: 8–18

We are going as a community this year, register below!

National Aviation Day | August 19

Celebrate aviation each year on August 19, the birthday of aviation pioneer Orville Wright! National Aviation Day was established in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to celebrate the history, development, and continued advancement of aviation.

Watch for special aviation events, museum programming, activities, and other opportunities surrounding National Aviation Day each August.

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum often offers special programming in celebration of National Aviation Day. Check their current events calendar as August approaches for details.

EAA Student Members and EAA Members: Wings Over the Rockies participates in the ASTC Travel Passport Program, which may provide free admission for eligible members. Be sure to check current admission requirements before visiting.

Colorado Springs Airport - Webcam

Want to see the webcam at the Colorado Springs Airport?

Check it out and be sure to refresh frequently.

Live Airport Webcams

Experience nonstop action with live webcams! Perched high atop this hotel, exclusive views of runways 25L and 25R provide uninterrupted coverage of landings, takeoffs, and airport operations on the south side of LAX. Only on Airline Videos Live can you enjoy this unique and breathtaking perspective of one of the world’s busiest airports. Sit back, relax, and watch the skies come alive with nonstop aviation excitement!

Flight Radar 24 - Explore Flight Radar - U.S. & World

Real-time flight tracking across the world. See aircraft type, route, altitude, and even cockpit views (on some feeds).

This resource is fun to use while students are on their Young Eagles flights, watching family and friends fly in or out for visits, looking up aircraft that flies over, etc.

AVIATION EXPLORATION SERIES

Description: True North’s Aviation Exploration Series brings aviation learning to life through immersive, behind-the-scenes experiences across Colorado. Students explore aviation and aerospace careers, the science of flight, air traffic control, airport operations, military and civilian aviation, aerospace technology, and aviation history—all while meeting professionals and gaining access to facilities and experiences not typically available to the public.

Field Trips, Locations & Experiences May Include:

• USAFA Davis Airfield (Colorado Springs)

• Airport Tours (Denver & Colorado Springs)

• FAA Colorado Springs Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT/TRACON)

• Denver Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)

• FAA Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) (Longmont)

• Historic FlyteCo Tower — Former Stapleton Air Traffic Control Tower (Denver)

• USAFA Planetarium — From Forces of Flight to Fighter Pilot (Colorado Springs)

• Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (Denver)

• Exploration of Flight (Centennial)

• National Museum of World War II Aviation (Colorado Springs)

• High Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (HAATS) (Eagle), when available

Dates: Experiences are offered throughout the year, with dates and timing based on facility and tour availability.

Join our online Colorado Aviation Homeschoolers community to connect with other Colorado homeschool families interested in aviation!

*Registration always opens first for Members and then to the public if have spots left.