New school year, new altitude. As families across Kentucky settle back into the classroom routine, DreamFlight Charities is opening fall enrollment across our full lineup of aviation programming. Whether your student has never set foot on a flight line or is already logging hours toward a pilot’s license, there’s a real next step for them here – and this month fives you a chance to see all of it in person.
Here’s a look at DreamFlight’s three core programs and how to get started with each!
Discovery Events: A Student's FirstTime in the Cockpit
For students who have never flown before, a Discovery Flight Event is where it starts. It’s a couple of hours on-site – a ground briefing followed by 30 to 45 minutes of real flight time – all with a Certified Flight Instructor from one of our partnering flight schools. It isn’t a simulator and it is more than a sightseeing ride along: students will take to the controls themselves, with an instructor guiding them along a new and exciting experience!
Discovery Events are open to students ages 13 to 18 and are held in communities across the state throughout the year – Frankfort and Danville both hosted events this past summer, with more to come! Check out our event calendar to view upcoming Discovery Events, or learn how you can schedule an individual discovery flight for your student at a time convenient for your family!
Prepare for Your Arrival with OpenSkies Flight Club
For students who really catch the bug after their first Discovery Event – or who already know aviation is the path for them – OpenSkies Flight Club is DreamFlight’s ongoing community, currently based out of Capital City Airport in Frankfort. Members meet once a month for a three-hour session built around ground-school instruction, lunch with a guest speaker from the aviation industry, and hands-on STEM activities. It’s a standing group of students, mentors, and working aviation professionals, far from a one-time event!
Annual dues are $150 – and because DreamFlight Charities is a Yes Card provider, Frankfort area students can have their entire membership cost covered through funding from the Franklin County Health Department. It’s one of the easiest ways to make ongoing aviation involvement affordable for a family already juggling other activities and costs!
Fly With Us for Your Chance to Receive Up To $6,000 in Flight Training
For students ready to commit to real flight training, our Flight Training Scholarships provides a $6,000 initial award toward training with one of our partnering flight schools. It’s designed for students who’ve already shown genuine, sustained interest – typically through a Discovery Event, AVCamp experience, or as a member of our OpenSkies Flight Club – and who are prepared to see training through once it starts.
Fall 2026 selections are happening now. If your student has been part of any of DreamFlight’s other programs and is ready for the next step toward a fulfilling career in the cockpit, this is that step!
See All Three in Person: OpenSkies
Open House Event is August 15th
Not sure where to start? The whole DreamFlight team will be at Capital City Airport in Frankfort on Saturday, August 15th for their OpenSkies Open House – a chance to meet instructors, tour airport facilities, and get a feel for the various programming offered by DreamFlight.
The entire is FREE with RSVP – a low-pressure way to explore options to help your aspiring aviator discover their next steps!
Whether your student is aviation-curious or already dreaming of obtaining their pilot’s license, there’s a place for them at DreamFlight Charities this year. New school year, new altitude – let’s get them there!