Idaho, US Flying Club Introduces Monthly Flight Training for 11- to 15-Year-Olds

Idaho, USA – Eastern Idaho Flying Club has launched a youth flight training program at Rigby Airport for students aged 11 to 15, giving participants recurring instructor-led aircraft training before they reach the FAA minimum age for solo flight.

• The first intake is limited to six junior members and was full at the time of the program's announcement, with a waitlist established for additional applicants. The first flight lesson is scheduled for September 16, 2026.
• Junior members will receive one group flight lesson each month, participate in aviation-related field trips twice a year and have access to free ride-alongs with other club members. During instructional flights, students occupy the pilot seat and fly with assistance from a certificated flight instructor.
• The initial joining fee is US$250 and includes a headset, flight bag, pilot logbook, hat and T-shirt. The youth program operates on a monthly membership model that can be cancelled at any time.
• Eastern Idaho Flying Club states that instructional time completed through the junior program is entered in each participant's logbook and can contribute toward future Private Pilot Certificate aeronautical experience requirements. Once a junior member turns 16, the club plans to transition that participant to full membership and assist with the student pilot certificate process and one-to-one flight instruction.
• The club was established in 2019 and has grown from five members and one aircraft to more than 50 members and three aircraft, with a fourth aircraft planned, according to the September 2026 report.
• Eastern Idaho Flying Club also provides conventional student instruction through club-approved CFIs alongside access for certificated pilots. Its published membership structure includes separate access levels for the Cessna 172 and combined Cessna 172/182 use. 

Source: Local media