March 21, 2009
I belong to the newly re-formed EAA Chapter 479, in Diamondhead, MS. Re-formed after most of us were wiped out during hurricane Katrina. There was very little amateur aircraft building going after Katrina and the EAA chapter kind of fizzled out as many of our members moved out of the area and never returned.
Three years later, we have reformed with a small membership and small hut
at the Diamondhead airport. Today we had had our first Young Eagles
event and cookout since reforming chapter 479.
I arrived at about 0730 in the Miss'ippi Mudbug. For most of the EAA members
this was their first time seeing the Bearhawk so it drew a few lookers right
away. 
You can see our little EAA chapter hut in the background. That's
were we hold our monthly meetings. Hey, its a start!
All-in-all, we had 25 Young Eagle kids show up to take their first ride in
an airplane and hopefully spark an interest in
aviation:
My teacher and Tech Counselor Mickey Whittenburg brought his trailered homebuilt
which is his own design:
Also on a trailer was another member's KR-2 project.
One of our members took all of the Young eagles over to her airplane and
gave them a thorough run-through of all of the control surfaces and how we
do a pre-flight inspection:
All the pilots got a pre-flight briefing where we were given the route of
flight and altitude, radio frequencies, plan of action should we get
a sick passenger (radio call is I have an "ill eagle"), etc.
My first Young Eagle was Cherokee, a 17 year high school senior. This is
Cherokee and her dad:
Click here to go to Young Eagles page 2