We have had a successful and growing youth program at my club near
Toronto (www.yorksoaring.com) since about 2001. Last season, we had
20 youth on our ‘Bursary’ program. Under this initiative, the young
pilots, most chosen from the ranks of the post-solo Royal Canadian Air
Cadet program, pay $50 for a club membership, and $5 for each flight.
Youth Flight Canada (www.youthflight.ca) pays another $50 to the club
for the membership, and pays the difference between the $5 and the
cost the club would charge a member for the tow and the glider rental,
- typically about $30. Each flight they take obligates them to an
hour of assigned volunteer tasks for the benefit of the club (clean
kitchen, washroom, towplanes, etc).

Youth Flight Canada is the Canadian equivalent of a 501 3(c) in the
USA, and issues tax receipts for donations. We also operate the
Freedom’s Wings program in Canada, in partnership with clubs in
Vancouver, Vernon BC, Edmonton, Calgary, and Ottawa, as well as
Toronto.

I have a letter before me from one of our previous Bursary recipients,
Boris Wong, now a 2nd Officer on a Cathay Pacific A 340, and a photo
of him posing inside the engine cowling in his uniform. He wrote:

“I want to thank you for rewarding me with the YFC Soaring Bursary. I
was both surprised and honored to receive the bursary.

I am grateful for your confidence in me and willingness to invest in
the development of both my flying skills and myself as a person.
Without doubt, this bursary has helped me greatly in achieving my
dream of being an airline pilot….

The bursary had enabled me to continue to develop my flying skills and
sense of responsibility, especially when given the chance to attend
the instructor’s course. Many of those skills are transferable to
professional aviation. In addition to the bursary, the directors of
YFC went beyond their duties in supporting my pursuit of an aviation
career. Mr. Petersen offered transportation to the gliding club and
Captain Fraser offered advice on the airline industry. An important
aspect of the bursary is its relief in the costs of tuition, living
expenses, and additionally, flying can be very daunting.

The bursary was essential in helping me achieve what I have today.
Currently, I am eagerly awaiting to further my training and career as
a Junior First officer, which should happen in a year’s time. I hope
the YFC bursary can continue to support young adults in aviation.
Thank you for your generosity”

Another of our former recipients is today an aerospace engineer, and
is assisting in the design and approvals for hand controls in a couple
more gliders. As Burt said, they don’t all stick, but many do, and we
take pride in their success. We feel that there are several factors
critical to the success of a program like ours:
- a sufficient number of other younger pilots so that they don’t feel
out of place in a membership of graybeards
- well chosen candidates to begin with (hence the focus on choosing
graduates of the Air Cadet program which filters those inclined to
succeed.
- Transportation and/or accommodation at the airfield (almost always
remote from where people live. We have a bunkhouse trailer that
houses 10 and a campground, showers, kitchen, etc.
- A club membership committed to welcoming and mentoring

Our club has become a more energetic and vital place with the broader
demographics youth has brought. I hope someone reading this will be
inspired to emulate such a program where they fly. It is so
worthwhile.

Charles Petersen