Rick Oeth said all you need to fly a plane is desire – and the participants in the Johnson Flight Academy camp have just that.

“There’s no particular prerequisites other than desire,” said Oeth, camp director.

He said some camp participants have previous instruction while others have no previous experience, but all are enrolled in the Air Force Youth Auxiliary Program.

About 50 students attend the camp and come from all over Illinois as well as states like Colorado, Louisiana and Florida, Oeth said.

The camp runs Friday through June 21 and is for participants from the age of 12 to 20.

At the camp, which recently changed its name from Johnson Flight Encampment to Johnson Flight Academy, cadets are taught how to fly powered aircraft, gliders or hot air balloons.

Oeth said they get to pick one of those three choices.

Camp participants can start flying at the Coles County Memorial Airport as early as Saturday given the weather is suitable.

The camp then divides the students, or cadets, into three groups depending on the aircraft they pick.

“Weather is our enemy while we are there,” Oeth said.

If the weather is not suitable, Oeth said there would be more instruction on the ground instead.

The camp tries to keep a balance between on-ground instruction and flight time, but weather can interfere.

“We like to keep it balanced,” Oeth said. “We don’t want to have too much flight time.”

Oeth said with the current weather there could be some issues. On-ground instruction includes how to use the radio and the basics of being in the cockpit.

“It’s pretty darn important,” Oeth said of the instruction.

Because the camp is a part of the Air Force Youth Auxiliary Program, the cadets learn air formations and about leadership.

“We get the extra does of atmosphere,” Oeth said.

Kristina Peters can be reached at 581-7942 or at kmpeters2@eiu.edu.