Young Eagles take flight in Bishopville

Photo provided Bill Varn of Hartsville goes over pre-flight training with a group of young cadets. Varn was one of the volunteer pilots participating in Saturday's Young Eagles event at Butters Field.

By RANDY BURNS
Item Staff Writer
rburns@theitem.com

BISHOPVILLE - More than 50 youngsters, including Junior Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps students from Crestwood and Sumter High schools, made the trip to Butters Field to fly in an airplane.

George Roberts, chairman of the Lee County Airport Commission, said the event was sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association program of Young Eagles. Roberts credited association members from Hartsville and Sumter for making the event possible.

"These two chapters provided six aircraft, six pilots and 11 ground-support personnel," he said.

Saturday's event was a makeup of an earlier event cancelled because of bad weather.

"Saturday started out with fog, but soon fair weather happened with clear skies and light winds," Roberts said. "Temps were in the 90s; however, the shade of a large tent made staying on the airport comfortable."

All cadets participating in the program received training prior to their flight.

Photo provided A Young Eagle prepares to take to the skies with a volunteer pilot last weekend.

"The cadets were instructed in the proper pre-flight," Roberts said. "And each aircraft was inspected to make sure it was safe to fly. They were then loaded aboard aircraft for a 15-minute flight following a closed flight circuit terminating with a flight over the city of Bishopville and a landing on Runway 24."

Roberts said he was pleased with the enthusiasm of the young flyers.

"Many cadets commented that they would like to become pilots," Roberts said.

Maj. Fred Moore, senior instructor of Sumter High School's Air Force JROTC program, said 37 cadets representing Sumter High School participated in Saturday's exercise.

"Most of our students had never been in a plane before," Moore said. "They were very excited. One girl was so giddy that she was screaming for joy when she got out of the plane. Several students told me they wanted to become pilots."

Each cadet received a flight certificate signed by the pilot, a logbook to record the flight, a cockpit poster and a hotdog plate and drink.

Roberts said Butters Field is the perfect airport for the Young Eagles program.

"Lee County is an aviation-friendly county with a expanding airport that was paved and extended in 2005, constructed a parking apron in 2008 and will soon have a lighted runway for night operations, a windsock with a segmented circle, rotating beacon and a visual approach landing aid," Roberts said.

Community sponsors making the event possible included NBSC, Bishopville Animal Clinic, Piggly Wiggly of Hartsville, City Nursery, South Atlantic Canners, Jennings and Jennings Law Office of Bishopville, Linda Butters, B & R Lumber Co. of Bishopville, Four Hearts LLC and Retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Rich Richardson.

Anyone needing more information on the Lee County Airport can call Roberts at (803) 484-3296.



Contact Staff Writer Randy Burns at rburns@theitem.com or (803) 491-4533.