Young Eagles take flight

Finn, 12, found his wings at Triumph Airfield Saturday, June 1.

Riley Klein

Young Eagles take flight

NORTH CANAAN — Aviation enthusiasts achieved lift-off Saturday, June 1, at Triumph Airfield.

The Young Eagles initiative of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) made its first appearance in North Canaan. The program promotes careers in flight to the next generation through hands-on experiences.

First timers got a feel for flying with the assistance of certified pilots. With clear skies, seven airplanes departed the grass runway and brought 32 youth flyers up to altitude over the course of the morning.

Tre Roberti, 14, took flight with EAA Chapter 1097 President Tom Whelan.Riley Klein

The planes reached “about 3,000 feet,” said Chapter President Tom Whelan after touching down with aspiring aviator Tre Roberti, 14, of Kent.

Roberti said he had flown once before and is hoping to become a pilot when he grows up.

“He’s a natural on the stick too,” added Whelan.

Roberti said the quarry to the south of the airstrip stood out as a notable landmark while in flight.

Billy Segalla flew "Ol' Yeller" with Caiden Brewer of North Canaan.Riley Klein

Billy Segalla of Triumph Airfield took Caiden Brewer of North Canaan for his first ever flight.

“Had to take him over the school,” said Segalla, referring to North Canaan Elementary School, at which Brewer is a student. “He loved it.”

Segalla and Brewer flew “Ol’ Yeller,” a bright yellow Piper PA-11 Cub.

“It’s great. We get to bring the younger generation, get them away from the TV and all that to enjoy this,” said Segalla.

Youth aviation enthusiasts got a hands-on experience with the Young Eagles initiative.Riley Klein

A flight with the Young Eagles qualified the co-pilots to begin their Ground Course training with EAA, the first step to becoming air certified. Once the course is completed online, trainees can begin logging flight hours to attain their license.

Inside the hangar, EAA Chapter 1097 reps were handing out certificates to those who took flight. Future pilots got help registering for online ground courses through the EAA headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

P.J. Whelan of EAA Chapter 1097 said the turnout at Triumph was “one of the best” she had seen. She said the Young Eagles initiative is a great opportunity to introduce the next generation to the aviation industry.

Copies of “Aviore” comic books, an aviation superhero series created by Stan Lee specifically for the Young Eagles program, were available free of charge.

Air traffic was busy at Triumph June 1.Riley Klein

Latest News

McCarron wins silver at state meet

Indoor track BL champs

Provided

Housatonic Valley Regional High School senior Kyle McCarron’s 1600-meter time of 4:30.31 earned him second place in this year’s indoor state meet. He was within two seconds of first-place finisher Matthew Kraszewski from Nathan Hale-Ray High School.

McCarron was one of eight runners to represent HVRHS in the 2025 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class S indoor track meet at Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven Feb. 15. In addition to his 1600-meter silver medal, McCarron placed sixth in the 3200-meter run.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joy Brown’s retrospective celebrates 50 years of women at Hotchkiss

Joy Brown installing work for her show at the Tremaine Art Gallery at Hotchkiss.

Natalia Zukerman

This year, The Hotchkiss School is marking 50 years of co-education with a series of special events, including an exhibition by renowned sculptor Joy Brown. “The Art of Joy Brown,” opening Saturday, Feb. 22, in the Tremaine Art Gallery, offers a rare retrospective of Brown’s work, spanning five decades from her early pottery to her large-scale bronze sculptures.

“It’s an honor to show my work in celebration of fifty years of women at Hotchkiss,” Brown shared. “This exhibition traces my journey—from my roots in pottery to the figures and murals that have evolved over time.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Special screening of ‘The Brutalist’ at the Triplex Cinema
Yale professor Elihu Rubin led discussions before and after “The Brutalist” screening at Triplex Cinema on Feb. 2. He highlighted how the film brings architecture into focus, inviting the audience to explore Brutalism as both a style and a theme.
L. Tomaino

A special screening of “The Brutalist” was held on Feb. 2 at the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington. Elihu Rubin, a Henry Hart Rice Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Studies at Yale, led discussions both before and after the film.

“The Brutalist” stars Adrien Brody as fictional character, architect Laszlo Toth, a Hungarian-born Jewish architect. Toth trained at the Bauhaus and was interred at the concentration camp Buchenwald during World War II. The film tells of his struggle as an immigrant to gain back his standing and respect as an architect. Brody was winner of the Best Actor Golden Globe, while Bradley Corbet, director of the film, won best director and the film took home the Golden Globe for Best Film Drama. They have been nominated again for Academy Awards.

Keep ReadingShow less