SANFORD — Nine-year-old Sarah Lord of Wells looked out the window of the passenger side of the four-seater Alaskan Bush Plane Saturday morning.

“The trees are so small,” she said to Jerry Bernier, who was piloting a round trip from Sanford Regional Airport to Ogunquit. She looked out the window and said, “Oh my gosh, this is so cool,” and then turned to her best friend, 10-year-old Zoe Angelakis, also of Wells, who was sitting in the back seat, pointing out the window.

The two girls were participating in the Young Eagles Flight Rally, an event geared to introduce young people to aviation by giving them an opportunity to ride in a plane. Some participants, like Lord, even get the opportunity to steer the plane for a moment.

The event, held at the Sanford Regional Airport, was sponsored by the Rochester, N.H. and Biddeford chapters of the Experimental Aircraft Association.

The flights were free, and open to those 8 to 17 years old. All the pilots volunteered their time, said Steve Richard, a private pilot and Young Eagles coordinator. The Young Eagles is a national program under the Experimental Aircraft Association, and since its inception in 1992, more than 1.6 million children have participated in a free plane ride, he said.

The goal of the Young Eagles program, he said, is to not only get young people interested in aviation, but to spur interest in a career as a commercial pilot. Richard said that there is a high percentage of young people who go through the program and later become pilots.

Richard said the program is important because the number of pilots is decreasing.

“If you’re not from an aviation family, there’s no introduction to it,” he said.

Richard said his 14-year-old nephew participated in the program, and now is dead set on a career in aviation.

Children who participate in the flight rally get an overview of flying before going up in the plane. When they finish the flight, they leave with a Young Eagles certificate and a log book signed by the pilot.

Richard said  children who attend the event also get a coupon for an online ground school program for those who want to continue to pursue an interest in flight. Once they pass the program, the certification is good for life, he said.

Bernier said he enjoys flying, and he enjoys volunteering at Young Eagle Flight Rallies.

“I love flying Young Eagles,” he said. “I love to see their excitement.”

After their flight, the two girls excitedly met their families on ground and told them about their experience.

“It was fun,” said Angelakis after the ride, noting what she saw from up in the sky including the highway and the ocean.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.