The sixth annual Aviation Youth and Education conference took place at Brooklands’ clubhouse on 27 April.

Organised by YES – the Youth and Education branch of the LAA – and supported by Boeing, the conference brought together more than fifteen organisations from across the aviation industry.

The range of opportunities for young people to get involved in aviation ranged from Beaver Scouts building paper aeroplanes, to schoolchildren building whole light aircraft, and on up into university-level study and the new Apprenticeship scheme for those embarking on a commercial career.

Gliding was particularly well represented as was the Scout movement – often working in partnership, as in the model operated by the Cambridge Gliding Club and Hertfordshire Scouts for the shared use of a motorglider.

Among the many new presenters this year were representatives from AOPA, GASCO, RAFA, Air Britain and Coventry University, in addition to regular attendees from the British Women Pilots Association, GAPAN and RAeS.

Ernest Lear received the YES Lifetime Achievement Award for his many years of work with young people, and reflected on his baptism of fire – discovering that he was enlisted to show 700 schoolchildren around the then PFA Rally in one afternoon.

More volunteers are always needed and there are many ways to get involved, from giving an hour your time to help a local Beaver Scout pack get their Air Activities badge, or taking a young person for their very first flight as part of a youth flying day. For more information visit yesflyers.org.uk or facebook.com/yesflyers.

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