Summit Aviation, working with the nonprofit organization Eagle Mount, is bringing back its annual Big Sky Kids Cancer Survivor Flight Camp in which four young people from across the country receive the opportunity to realize the dream of taking flight. Now in its 10th year, the Cancer Survivor Flight Camp runs from June 24 to 28 in Bozeman, Montana. The event that launched in 2014 is completely donor-funded.
Each year, Eagle Mount’s Big Sky Kids selects four young people—who are between the ages of 18 to 26 and in remission—to participate. Eagle Mount is an organization dedicated to eliminating barriers for those with disabilities or cancer.
The program involves one-on-one instruction with certified flight instructors, more than 10 hours of flight in Summit’s Diamond aircraft, and ground school. Mornings begin with participants and flight instructors conducting a pre-flight inspection on Summit aircraft, then they receive a briefing on the flight path and take to the skies over various parts of the region, including routes to Spanish Peaks, Big Sky, Bear Trap Canyon, the Bridger Mountains, and Paradise Valley.
During each flight, the campers learn about basic aircraft control and maneuvering. By the end of the week, organizers said, many perform their own takeoffs and landings.
Lunches are donated by local businesses, and the afternoons comprise tours of Bozeman International Airport facilities and ground instruction. The graduation flight brings them to Driggs, Idaho, providing views of Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton.
“The transformation these individuals go through during the week is amazing to witness,” organizers say. “For some, it’s a chance at an incredible experience after stolen opportunities; for others, it’s about removing limitations and revealing new skills and abilities. No matter the journey they take, the destination is one of new-found freedom, confidence, and ability.”