OSHKOSH, Wis. — David Leiting took his first Young Eagles flight almost 21 years ago.

Over the years, he pursued a career in flying and aviation. He graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in airport management.

Now, as the manager of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles program, his career has come full circle.

“I don’t come from an aviation family, so, really, my only engagement with airplanes was through EAA,” he said. “When I was 8 years old, I got to take my very first Young Eagles flight at AirVenture ’02. That was such a cool experience and one I still keep with me to this day.”

(Spectrum News 1/Nathan Phelps)

EAA is celebrating its 70th birthday on Jan. 26. It’s an organization that started in a Hales Corner basement with three dozen people and has grown to more more than 900 chapters around the world.

It’s also provided a career path for people like Leiting, who grew up in Kenosha.

“Fast forward 20 years since my first flight and to see how it changed my perspective on what I can do in aviation,” he said. “To then share that today with these kids and these families it’s really, really special.”

EAA’s museum captures many milestones of aviation history — including its own. A replica of the first office set up by Paul and Audrey Poberezny in their basement is one of the displays.

The goal for the past 70 years has been about helping people purse dreams, hobbies and careers tied to flight.

“The big thing EAA tries to do is to give access to anybody who wants to participate in aviation,” said Dick Knapinski, EAA’s director of communications. “It’s about personal aviation. It’s about grassroots, the little guy who pays his own way or her own way to be involved in aviation, whether that’s building an aircraft, restoring, or being involved with museums and fly-ins.”

The organization’s most visible event is the annual convention and air show in Oshkosh known as AirVenture.

But the work of EAA goes beyond that one week in July.

“It’s about expanding and growing participation in aviation in all its forms, but mostly sharing the spirit of aviation, that thing of what it’s like to fly,” Knapinski said.

(Spectrum News 1/Nathan Phelps)

Leiting said he still gives some of the Young Eagle flights like the one he took more than 20 years ago.

“We get letters, email, phone calls from parents or volunteer pilots that say, ‘There was this kid that your program changed their life. They’re off at the Air Force Academy now and they’re going to be a cargo pilot in a C-5 Galaxy someday.’ Or you get the call from the mom that says, ‘My daughter didn’t know if aviation was going to be for her but she took the Young Eagles flight, she had great mentorship from her local chapter and now she’s flying for United Airlines,’” he said. “Those stories are very, very special.”