Christopher Easterday, 16, of Munfordville, has wanted to fly in an airplane his whole life.

“I’ve just always been amazed by airplanes,” he said. 

On Tuesday, he got a chance to not only fly in a plane, but also co-pilot it during the Bob Pitchford Aviation Camp at Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport.

“It was quite a thrill,” Easterday said. “That plane was definitely alive. It moved with everything that you did. It was a lot of fun, definitely.”

He’s among several dozen children ages 10 to 16 who are attending the two-day camp, which concludes today. Students are learning about aviation history, discovering how to navigate with a compass, practicing flying with a simulator and taking turns co-piloting during a flight to Russellville and Portland, Tenn. 

“It’s fun to interact with kids, see them learn,” camp coordinator Edward Murphy said.

The program is offered through The Aviation Museum of Kentucky in Lexington, which hosts aviation camps each summer in cities across the state. Another will begin Thursday in Bowling Green.

While Easterday flew for the first time during the program, Carson Young, 16, of Lexington, is a veteran flyer who attended the camp for the fifth time this week. 

“It’s a good learning experience,” Young said. “It definitely teaches you a lot.”

He hopes to have a career in aviation, and the camp has been a good way for him to learn about the industry and gain flying experience.

“It’s something different,” Young said. “Not everyone gets to fly a plane. It’s just an exciting thrill. Being up in the sky is pretty much like freedom.”

Lee Higginbotham of Louisville, one of the pilots who supervised student flights during the camp, enjoys watching the students learn new things.

“It’s very rewarding … knowing that they are capable of doing more than they think they can do,” he said. 

Madison Morrill, 10, of Bowling Green, loved being able to help control the plane during take off and landing.

“I was a little nervous at first,” she said. “It was bumpy. It was really cool. I don’t think I could do that ever again though.”

Planes have long been a source of fascination for her.

“I always like pointing out the airplanes that fly over my house and I’ve always been interested in airplanes in general,” Madison said. “They’re different than any other vehicle or transportation that you can get.”

— Follow faith/general assignments reporter Laurel Wilson on Twitter at twitter.com/FaithinBG or visit bgdailynews.com.