Two local children may not be old enough to get behind the wheel of a car, but this past weekend, they hit an even bigger milestone — one that is uncommon for someone of any age.
Fifteen-year-old Lexi Eurton and 13-year-old Alexander Yaeger are cadets with the Newton County Civil Air Patrol (CAP). On Saturday, they arrived at the Covington Municipal Airport bright and early for one of the most exciting parts of their journey: Orientation flights.
Eurton and Yaeger piled into a CAP plane with Major Jason Williams and took to the sky for a short trip to the Baldwin County Regional Airport and back.
But the pair got to do more than watch Williams work. They had the opportunity to take the reins themselves.
“So the cadets, they receive up to six power flights during their time as cadets,” Williams said. “We have different syllabuses for them, depending on how many times they've gone up, and we'll let them fly the airplane. So today, both those cadets [Eurton and Yaeger] were literally behind the sticks, turned the aircraft over to them, let them turn left, turn right, up and down. They were literally, I told them, they were the autopilot. Autopilot was not engaged at all.”
On the tarmac, the trio climbed into the plane and Williams launched the plane into the sky. Once in the air, both cadets were given the chance to take over the controls. This allows them to put their learning into action, as both took a flight course beforehand.
“It’s very different from flying on a regular plane, because when you’re on a regular plane, you just look out the window,” Eurton said. “But it’s like you’re actually behind the wheel or the pilot stick and you really have to lock in.”
Eurton said there can be pressure at times, but the freedom is exhilarating.
“Especially when he [Williams] just sits back and relaxes,” Eurton said. “I’m like wait, wait, you trust me this much?”
Yaeger echoed this sentiment, agreeing that he felt a little anxious but that it’s exciting.
“It was real fun,” Yaeger said. “It's worth it.”
According to Major Mark Stumpf, the squadron commander, Eurton and Yaeger have only been with the CAP for a few months each. But both have already had the chance to immerse themselves in the program and take to the skies.
Stumpf said that, although the CAP Cadet program can offer a pathway into future military service, that is not his primary goal. Rather, he wants children to have access to the wealth of opportunity the program provides, from soft skills like discipline to aerospace education and even scholarships.
“I tell people, I’m not here to recruit you into the military,” Stumpf said. “That’s not my goal. My goal is to get you to cadet colonel, but you can end it right there, or you can continue on as a senior member, because you can honestly serve your country in this capacity. We’re part of the U.S. military.”
The primary mission of the CAP is search and rescue. Stumpf pointed to natural disasters, such as Hurricane Helene or the recent Texas floods, as times the CAP has mobilized.
The Newton County CAP has not engaged in search and rescue itself, but the program is still growing into its full capacity. Stumpf has a vision to expand further into local high schools, so that the squadron can be made up of subgroups called “flights.”
Plus, Newton County CAP recently transitioned from a cadet squadron to a composite squadron, broadening its focus to include adult members in addition to the cadets.
“We have a really good opportunity here to build something amazing, and that’s what we’re working on,” Stumpf said.
As the Newton County CAP squadron continues to grow, cadets are welcome from any direction. From local high schools to homeschooled children, the opportunities are open to all.
“I’m flying planes before I’m driving,” Eurton said. “That’s crazy.”
