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What A Great Way To Spend A Saturday.

Geico266

Geico266

Well Known Member
It was just one of those days.

My daughter and her husband took in an inner city 16 year old with a bit of an attitude and they thought a flying lesson might give him a new direction. Good call, Mission accomplished.

I launched from my home airport about 10:00am and flew to the KC area. The XM weather came in handy as there was storms in the area and along the route to Wichita, KS to see the airshow. Patty Wagstaff, Team AeroShell, a nice P-51, the guy with parts falling off his cub, and a real babe walking the wing of an old bi-plane, enough said!

I picked the kid up and we launched for the 1.1 hour trip to Wichita, KS (KAAO). I called ahead to get the NOTAM (BAD idea) and was told the field closes 1-4 PM. It was already closed at noon, but I talked the airboss into letting us land in between slows! What a nice guy! It looked like we were part of the show as my red & white -10 fit right in with the 2 red bi-planes. SWEET! :cool:

We spent the next 4 hours talking about planes, looking at planes, climbing through planes, careers, military service, cars (Nice car show there too! Just what the DR. ordered for a 16 year old! ;) About the only attitude I could detect was a typical 16 year old boy trying to find himself and trying to fit into the world. It has not been helpful to the kid be bounced around like a basket ball. The ball is in my court now, and the ball stops bouncing right here.

The air show was great, fairly fast moving, nice tents for shade, a great mix of performers, a good crowd. We were ready to head home, hot tired, and giddy from the show.

Now the fun begins. After watching all of the shows the kid thinks he wants to fly the plane home. Okay, lets do it. I take off (insurance requirement ;)) and hand the plane over to him. After a few minutes at the controls he is really doing good! A nice gentle touch on the controls. Nice coordinated turns, good control, holds altitude well, dead on the course line, a great autopilot! :D He flies for the next hour! Descents, climbs, turns, and he is really doing good! I can see the confidence building in him with every task accomplished. We discuss stalls, the engine management system and how it works, EGT's, CHT', temps, ignitions, etc. Now he is really hooked! ;)

He flies all the way back to the pattern (about an hour) and I land. Upon landing a crowd gathers around the -10 as there are many RV's here and we are invited to take a look at a few projects. A really nice -8 is being crafted there with an IO-390! The kid is really curious on how the plane is put together. "Where do you buy the parts?":D He only lives 2 miles away from the airport and these gifted builders! Hmmmmm!

After a nice dinner I saddled up and headed west into the setting sun. The sunset was really nice, I gave it an 8 out of 10. A nice night landing (if I say so myself) and I tuck the plane in the hanger. 4.5 hours on one tank of fuel, and I have 12 gallons left! 10.6 GPH!

Just one of those Saturdays at an airshow with a special young man. We are already planning lesson #2.

What a great day to fly!
 
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WOW! I Was There

I had the same experience with calling Flight Service and getting the NOTAM and it didn't get any better after arriving at Col. Jabara Airport (AAO). I flew in the AirCap 200 Air Race before you got there and from the briefing if was impossible to tell when the airport would close for the show under the NOTAM. Flight Service said 1:45 CDT (local) the prerace e-mailing said 12 noon, the prerace verbal briefing told us the air boss would be controlling everything at 10:45 am and the field would actually close down at 12:47. It looked like we were not going to launch for the race until around 10:30 am so I asked for confirmation that the return calls were to be to the airboss on 119.95 and not 122.7. I was told yes. Well he wasn't on line when we returned after 11:00 so I returned to Stearman and refueled. The race was very well done and the weather was fine on the course itself.

As I read your write-up I with where I had been Saturday and what you had seen. I never recognized until after I read it that we were at the same place. The classic cars were driven in by their owners just before the race briefing. I saw several of the types I or friends had owned when they were new. Looked for a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 but didn't see one.

I am glad the show was good and the young man was inspired.

My trip write-up is under "AirCap 200 news!!!" in this forum

Bob Axsom
 
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Bob Axsom said:
I had the same experience with calling Flight Service and getting the NOTAM and it didn't get any better after arriving at Col. Jabara Airport (AAO).
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Thanks Robert! Well now I don't feel so bad! I thought I was the only one that did not understand the NOTAM.

Sorry I missed you!
 
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Hey Bob, How about a white one with gold trim? I graduated from High School in 69 and had a young teacher that owned a 442 like that. Sweeeet!
 
Very Nice!

Larry,

That is a wonderful thing that you have done. As pilots, we all know that feeling of accomplishment, and responsibility that you gain from learning to fly. That is exactly what many troubled teens need to begin to find a new and better path in life. You will never fully know how many lives you have helped by giving this youngster a nudge in the right direction.

My friend and I have been working to put together a non-profit organization which will provide flight training to troubled teens. In return for the flight training, the chosen individuals must stay out of trouble and maintain acceptable grades in school. We have been working on this longer than I care to admit. Your story has helped get me moving on this again.

Thank you!
 
Jim Lewellyn said:
Larry,

That is a wonderful thing that you have done. As pilots, we all know that feeling of accomplishment, and responsibility that you gain from learning to fly. That is exactly what many troubled teens need to begin to find a new and better path in life. You will never fully know how many lives you have helped by giving this youngster a nudge in the right direction.

My friend and I have been working to put together a non-profit organization which will provide flight training to troubled teens. In return for the flight training, the chosen individuals must stay out of trouble and maintain acceptable grades in school. We have been working on this longer than I care to admit. Your story has helped get me moving on this again.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

That is a great project! While I like the idea of Young Eagles there is something missing. You take a kid flying and never see them again, it's just a jot ride. There is no follow up, no additional questions asked, no additional encouragement. Just take them for a ride and dump them off. They just become a number in a race to 2 million. I applaud everyone associated with YE, but is that all there is?
 
It is the old quality versus quantity debate. I believe quality is better. Maybe you can do the YE and see who has a real interest and work with them from there.
 
Our Idea


The Readers Digest version of our idea goes something like this....

First of all we would solicit donations to the nonprofit organization which would pay for the students training. Potential students of the program would be underprivileged, or have social/emotional or behavioral issues. Our organization would make high schools and social workers (that work in schools) aware of our program. The school counselors/social workers would refer potential students to our organization. We would choose the students from these referrals based on several different criteria. The chosen students would be required to enter into an agreement if accepted into the program. The agreement would be tailored to the student, but would essentially be good grades and good behavior equals continued flight training. The school counselors/social workers would be required to give progress reports on grades and behavior. If the students keep their end of the agreement, they will receive free flight training until obtaining their private license.

Our belief is that students of this program would be infected with the passion for flying that we all have. That passion would hopefully help guide them down a new and better path.
 
grjtucson said:
Jim and others,

Please take a look at http://www.wrightflight.org/

I am not involved locally yet but intend to be once I have my RV-7 done. I believe there are several VAF RV'ers that already participate.

George
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This might be just what the Dr. ordered! I like the idea of staying involved, the kids signs a contract, anf there is a graduation! Again, I'm not disrespecting Young Eagles, but fly & forget is not appealing to me. The kids need adults involved in their lives. Aviation is a bridge to that like baseball, sports, hobbies, ect.

Thanks!
 
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