Students from all around the Midwest came to Coles County Airport this week as the Johnson Flight Encampment got underway teaching students how to fly.

The Johnson Flight Encampment is a camp offered to students enrolled in the Air Force Youth Auxiliary program. The camp helps students ages 14 – 21 learn how to fly glider planes, power planes and hot air balloons as well as achieve their pilot’s license.

The Encampment is the only Illinois encampment that offers all three classes in flight.

Most of the camp members are from Illinois, but the camp has branched out in recent years to include students from Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan and even a student from Florida.

The camp divides students, or cadets, into three groups depending on the air craft the cadet wants to learn, said commander cadet Kirk Thirtyacre.

Each cadet will get about seven hours of flight time the entire week. First year students will get a pre-solo flight, in which the instructor flies inside the craft but leaves complete control to the cadet.

According to Thirtyacre, starting the second year a cadet may ride solo on the aircraft if the instructors think he or she is ready. Although, whether students make the solo flight their second year or not, they are welcome to come to the camp as many times as they would like.

“A good majority come back,” said Thirtyacre. “There is even one senior who has been here a lot, close to seven or eight times.”

During the week, cadets will start their flight day at 8:30 am and stay at the airfield either flying or learning the mechanics of the aircraft until 4-4:30 pm. Then cadets get together, eat dinner at Stevenson residence hall and spend some time participating in an activity together before going off to study for the next day.

Cadet David Brady, a 17-year-old from Parkridge, spends his second year at the encampment. He expresses that flying is not his only reason for coming back.

“I am trying for a solo glider this year,” said Brady. “[But] another reason I came back here is the people and the friends as well as the flying.”

Cadet Patti Noonan, a 15-year-old from Aurora, agrees with Brady for her reason for coming back a second year.

“I loved the bowling,” said Noonan. “It’s great that we can play thins and hang out with each other. Last year I remember we went swimming at the college after dinner and a tornado blew in. We had to evacuate the pool area and boys from another camp, I think boys state, were there whistling and hollering as the girls from our camp walked by. It was a lot of fun.”

Commander Rick Oeth, the camp director, believes in giving the cadets fun activities along with a long week of learning.

“We do a lot of fun stuff too,” said Oeth. “Tonight is movie night. We will give them choices and go out to Showplace to see a movie. We had a pizza party last night too. We also go swimming twice a week as well as doing billiards and bowling.”

Oeth expresses that the camp is not just for teaching students how to fly. He believes it is so much more.

“These kids learn how to work together taking turns as followers and leaders,” said Oeth. “They learn that during the week. If they come away as well trained leaders and followers we did our job.”

He also explains that not all cadets who attend will go into the military, let alone become professional pilots. Oeth says learning leadership is what the camp is really about. Just because the camp is sponsored by the military does not mean that all cadets are signing into service, even though some do. It is “teaching kids life lessons through aviation.”

Cadet Mike Schatzman, a 16-year-old from Mokena, said that he did want to continue flying through the military.

“I want to join the army right after high school, become an Apache pilot,” said Schatzman.

Brady said he wanted to join the military as well, through his college ROTC and as long as he flies something he will be happy.

Noonan, however, said she had no plans for the military.

“I wouldn’t survive,” Noonan said. “I just want to fly, and through this program I am able too.”

The 41st Johnson Flight Encampment is being held at the Coles County Airport from June 9 through June 17.