Area young people ages 8­ through 17 will have a chance to take to the skies on June 17 as Experimental Aircraft Association Vintage Chapter No. 13 hosts a Young Eagles flight rally, according to a press release.

Those attending the flight rally are asked to come to the flight school hangar starting at 7:30 a.m. to register for their flight. Flights will begin at 8 a.m. with registration ending at 11 a.m. A parent or guardian must be present to sign the permission slip.

The rally is part of the EAA Young Eagles program, created to interest young people in aviation. Since the program started in 1992, volunteer EAA pilots have flown nearly 2 million young people who reside in more than 90 countries. According to a press release, the local chapter has flown over 1,200 Young Eagles.

Free airplane rides are just part of the flight rally. Pilots at the event will explain how airplanes operate and measures they use to fly safely.

Following the flight, each young person will receive a certificate making them an official Young Eagle. Their name will be entered into the “World’s Largest Logbook,” which is on permanent display at the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The logbook is also accessible at www.youngeagles.org. In addition to the certificate, new Young Eagles will be given a logbook with an access code for a complete free online flight training course offered by Sporty’s Pilot Shop.

Along with flight rallies, EAA members also fly Young Eagles on an individual basis. Each pilot volunteers their time and aircraft so the flights can be provided free of charge for interested young people.

Additional information about EAA and the Young Eagles program is available at www.eaa.org.