Moving on...

You have read of my pride in the accomplishments of young builders engaged in RV-12 Eagle's Nest Projects now for almost exactly four years. Many of you have commented, and a good number have supported our efforts. I am eternally grateful for the support and interest.

That has come to an end.

Wednesday, our board asked for my resignation, and I dropped from a leadership role to being "Founder." That does not diminish my pride, nor do I believe it diminishes the accomplishments of so many. I wish ENP continued success in all they do, and I hope to see many more ENP projects begin and become their own success stories.

Now, my "unemployment" lasted about 36 hours. Long a dream of Dick VanGrunsven and several others (myself included,) a new organization has been formed. Jerry Graf has spent countless hours, both working with his own educational projects, and with organizing an umbrella organization supporting all youth aviation education groups. Brought into being July 31, Youth Aviation Programs Association (YAPA) met the next day and began the long process of becoming the "go to" place for those interested in making aviation a part of kid's lives. It has strong support from EAA, AOPA, and the aviation industry. I am very pleased to have been chosen as Program Director, working closely with Jerry. I pledge my support to each and every group with these same goals. You will no doubt hear more about this right here on VAF.

Bob Kelly

Bob,
You and your team have been a pleasure to work with. Let me know how I can help with the new program. Sure enjoyed hanging out with you guys at Osh. Lots of fun. Great kids.

I met with another group of kids at the Hartzell bldg that mentioned this larger umbrella group. Perhaps the same.

Again thanks for your contributions to the Eagles Nest Program.

Mike,

A pleasure on this end, for sure! I would expect there will be plenty of opportunity to work with us. The goals are much the same, but obviously much more broad-based. We will have a good presence at Oshkosh next year, and also at other venues. You, your guys, and your talks are very inspirational, and we will be looking for that. Thanks for all you have done.

Bob

Bob, you will always be the one we all think about when we see the kids from Eagles Nest. What a great thing you have done. I have enjoyed following your progress from your first project.

Thanks from one aviator to another for changing the lives of so many kids and getting the rest of us to think about the next generation of pilots.

Best of luck with your new opportunity.

Rockwood

All the best in the new endeavour, Bob. Hope it will be as successful as ENP has been and continues to be.

Bob, I thank you for all you hard work and success in getting our kids involved in aviation. Best of luck in your new Mission and I look forward to helping you in your new endeavor.

YAPA

Best of luck. I truly believe pilots are born. We need to find them, nurture that seed and help it mature. One of the areas I see in need are the adults from 18 up. There is far less available for them. An Eagle flight gets them going then drops the ball.

Terrific Work!

Bob,
You did some terrific, life-enriching work on behalf of the young people who took part in the Eagle's Nest projects -- and that will resonate for many years. The skills, achievements, and confidence those kids gained will serve them, and our aviation community, very well in the future.
Sincerely,

Dave Hirschman

Bob, your contributions are well recognized by everyone that has followed the Teen building projects around the country. The work is vitally important, and in your new role, I wish you the best of fortune in helping to create more opportunities to bring youth into aviation and better develop those who will learn what aviation has to offer and take inot different futures.

Thanks for all you've done - and remember that the work is never complete!

Thanks for all the comments! To address some things, YAPA will reach at least through college age, and some programs out there are for kids quite young. Many ideas are already floating around, and it is too early to speculate just how this will go, but when I remember that four years ago I was knocking on doors, looking for that first school gullible enough to let me in, I know the potential that we now have.

I have been very blessed with opportunity in my life. We all have. Never ignore it. It may lead to great things.

Bob