Educational materials are available at the Learn to Fly Center.

If you’re one of the many EAA AirVenture Oshkosh attendees this year who love the world of aviation but don’t have the means to fly in, you might find the new Learn to Fly Center in Member Village to be the best resource for learning the ins and outs of receiving flight training.

Tent visitors can watch certified flight instructors discuss and answer questions on the basic components of an aircraft, traffic patterns and why we need them, steps to becoming a pilot, and how much it actually costs to start flying your own aircraft.

"With only two days into AirVenture, the Learn to Fly Center has received an overwhelming response from both experienced pilots and from those interested in flying for the first time," said Rusty Sachs, Executive Director of the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). "We’ve already moved volunteers from the NAFI station to the Learn to Fly Center to give each prospective pilot valuable one-on-one time they might need to help answer all of their questions."

The Center also features information on sport pilot, the EAA-led movement that significantly lowers the time commitment required to become a pilot, the cost of training, and the price of new aircraft.

Bob Ernst of Cedarberg, Wisconsin, said sport pilot got him interested in becoming a pilot again. "After an absence in flying for 45 years, I decided it was time to fly again. I decided that this would be the year after learning more about sport pilot and what it has to offer. Of all the planes, I’m really interested in the new Cessna SkyCatcher."

Sport pilot training applies towards more advanced certificates, so it’s a great way to get started in aviation for everyone. To facilitate this first step, the Learn to Fly Center will provide FAA-authorized student sport pilot certificates (an approximate $50 value) free of charge for EAA members.

"This is my first year at AirVenture and I love it so far," said Gary Elliott of Bolivar, Missouri, who flew to Oshkosh in a last-minute decision. "The Learn to Fly Center has been very resourceful and has helped me make the decision to get my sport pilot certificate." When asked what airplane he was particularly interested in, he said, "The Diamond they’re giving away in Membership Village."

Seventeen-year-old Mark Ryan, of Sommerset, New Jersey, has been attending EAA AirVenture Oshkosh for the past four years in his father’s Cessna 110. "Sport pilot interested me because it takes less time and cost to get started."

Perhaps the largest draw to the sport pilot movement is the attraction it has with younger, aspiring pilots. "We hope to spark a light bulb in the head of younger people who will carry on the interest in general aviation" said Steve Thibodaux, a Master Instructor from Ohio who volunteers his expertise here in Oshkosh. "The message we try to get across is simple, and that is that everybody starts with zero flying experience."

In addition to mini-forums and one-on-one discussions, the Learn to Fly Center will provide printed materials on learning to fly, will give away daily prizes, and will host receptions with expert instructors and celebrity pilots. For more information on the web, visit www.AirVenture.org or just stop by Member Village.