Staff report

MIDDLEFIELD — Two local youth recently took their first solo flights at the Geauga County Airport as members of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 5.

Luke Shipman, 17, accomplished this feat in a Cessna 172 airplane Oct. 29 and was a recipient of the Ray Aviation Scholarship through the national EAA organization. He is the son of Chris and Melanie Shipman and lives in Greene, where he is a student at Maplewood High School.

Isaac Burden, 19, took his first solo flight Oct. 17 and received a partial scholarship through the local EAA Chapter 5.

Both young men flew through the Young Eagles program and previously attended an EAA 5 Summer Youth Aviation Camp at the airport in Middlefield.

Luke enjoys fishing, hunting, playing baseball and bowling. He received college

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