Emily Took Her First Flight As A Young Eagle

By Ted Luebbers

The Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 on April 8, 2021 announced that EAA National has selected this chapter to award a $10,000 Ray Aviation Scholarship for the third consecutive year.

EAA Chapter 534 is located at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, Florida.

The Chapter’s board of directors had named one of their Squadron 534 aviation youth members, Emily Lininger of Fruitland Park, FL, to be the scholarship recipient.

Emily took her first flight as a Young Eagle way back when she was 12 years old and after that she knew she wanted to fly. These flights are given at local EAA chapters to acquaint young people, eight to eighteen years old, with the wonders of flying. Since that time, she has taken advantage of every Young Eagle flight event the chapter had.

She joined the aviation youth program about four years ago and has been actively involved in learning to repair and build aircraft working alongside her chapter mentors.

Now at age 17 she will be using the scholarship to help pay for the dual flight instruction she needs to become a licensed Private Pilot, her first step in realizing her dream of becoming a missionary pilot.

The Ray Aviation Scholarships are administered by the National EAA organization in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Ray Family Foundation provides $1 million dollars annually for 100 young people to finance dual flight instruction. The scholarships are awarded through qualifying EAA chapters at local airports across the country.

EAA Chapter 534 has awarded two previous Ray Scholarships to deserving young people who were active in their youth program and they are licensed Private Pilots today.

Emily has had the support of her parents Marty and Jeanine as well as the many adult chapter members that have been teaching her the intricacies of aircraft construction.

Getting her Private Pilot’s License is just the first step in her quest to become a missionary pilot. She will continue on to acquire a Commercial License, Instrument rating and an Airframe and Power Plant mechanic license. This young lady has a goal, and she has the personal drive to realize her dream.

EAA Chapter 534 interrupted a Saturday work session in the hangar In March to announce the fact that Emily was selected by the chapter for the scholarship. Her family attended the affair along with many of the chapter adult and youth members.

Since that time Emily, her mentors and other chapter members have been anxiously waiting the official announcement from National EAA. On this day, the word was passed to the chapter president, Steve Tilford, that Emily had won a Ray Scholarship.

This chapter is proud of the fact that the Ray Scholarship program and National EAA has honored them and three of their deserving Squadron 534 aviation youth members.

FMI: https://www.eaachapter534.org/