Youth from the area interested in aviation will have the chance to take to the skies Saturday with local pilots out of Albert Lea’s airport.

The Young Eagles Flight Rally, hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association Vintage Chapter 13, gives youth ages 8 to 17 time to meet with pilots, discover how airplanes work and learn the importance of safety in flights.

“Free airplane rides are just part of the flight rally,” said Chuck Sandager, spokesman for the event, in a news release. “We hope to build one-to-one relationships between pilots and young people, giving a new generation a chance to learn more about the possibilities that exist in the world of aviation.”

Flights are provided free of charge.

The rally goes from 8 a.m. to noon — with registration starting at 7:45 a.m. Following each flight, participants will receive a certificate making them an official Young Eagle. The youth will also have their names entered into the “World’s Largest Logbook,” which is on permanent display at the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wis. The logbook is also accessible on the web at www.youngeagles.org.

Since the program was launched in 1992, volunteer Experimental Aircraft Association pilots have flown more than 1.6 million youth, who reside in more than 90 countries. The local chapter has flown 886, the news release stated.

In the case of inclement weather, the rally will be moved to June 1.

Contact Sandager at sandager@usfamily.net or Jeffrey Cookle at jeffreycookle@netscape.net with questions.