EAA KidVenture Chairman Dan Majka Explains the Impact of KidVenture

AirVenture is committed to producing fun for all ages, including all ranges of aviation experience. With 30 different activities and free admission for ages 18 and under, KidVenture champions as one of the most popular events at the airshow. 

EAA KidVenture chairman, Dan Majka is continuously committed to supporting KidVenture’s impact. Majka is a retired chemistry teacher of 38 years, an EAA member for 51 years, and on the EAA board of directors for 28 years. Each year, Majka helps design and produce new activities In 1999 KidVenture premiered at Oshkosh with a shocking turnout, “I was expecting 500, maybe to show up and 2,000 showed up,” said Majka.

This year has predicted about 20,000 participants, both parents and children. Started by EAA members Tom Peresni and Paul Prisni, the program was born out of a simple goal: involve the whole family. “EAA is a family-oriented organization,” Majka said. “People used to leave their kids with grandma. This was a way to include them.”

At its core, KidVenture strengthens family ties and introduces children to the many facets of aviation, “EAA wants people to enjoy aviation, not necessarily to be a pilot,” Majka said. KidVenture relies on a dedicated volunteer team as part of EAA’s broader culture of service. With more than 5,000 volunteers helping run AirVenture, passing on skills to the next generation is part of the mission.

“We live in a society right now where if you break something, you throw it away and get a new one,” Majka said. “Well, my generation, the old guys, we had to fix it.”

Now at 77 years old, Majka said he still sees the same spark in young faces that he felt when he took his first airplane ride at 16. For Majka, the future of aviation, and organizations like EAA, depends on programs like KidVenture. “I can see the excitement in their eyes,” said Majka.

This year's lineup promises to include new simulators and activities similar to those that promote all aspects of aviation.

FMI: www.eaa.org