??.and right where we?re standing ? this is where we think we?ll put the museum!?
Where we were standing was a small hillock looking over a grass runway so smooth and firm that when you touch down, you don?t get a ripple or a bump ? just that wonderful swish. Looking across the runway, there is a man-made pond, and behind the hill? A grove of trees with cleared spaces for camping, a nature trail winding through the forest, and lots and lots of open space ? enough to park hundreds of airplanes if they came in to camp. Standing where I was, accompanied by two men with deep roots in aviation (and in particular, RV aviation), I could see the dream in their eyes, and through their passion, I began to believe?..
I was invited to fly over to this private airfield the other day to look over their plans for a new initiative ? a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of aviation by bringing in school-age kids and giving them a chance to learn the way many of us did ? by laying hands on metal, wood, and hardware. By being a part of the exciting opportunity of bringing an airplane to life. And by learning the values that it takes to be successful (and safe) in aviation ? values which translate well into all walks of life. Things like dedication, attention to detail, leadership, and most of all, passion. The goal of the organization is to preserve what we have had, enjoy the present, and build the future, all at the same time. The head spins just thinking about it! And to make it happen, they will need to involve the greater aviation community - not just to provide funding, but to provide talent, leadership, skills, and examples for young men and women to follow.
It goes like this:
This small airfield ? two grass runways, acres and acres of open tie down space, and some wonderful woods ? is being acquired by a newly-formed non-profit educational institution. (The current owner is one of the founders of the dream by the way) In the near future, one of the first tasks will be to reach out to the homebuilding community by hosting fly-ins, camping weekends, and generally good times on the property. There is nothing stopping folks from flying in anytime soon, taxiing over to the tree line, and pitching tents for the night. And that will happen before you know it! This facility could easily host a good old fashioned laid-back fly-in for hundreds of RV?s. Located a short flight from Houston, it is only a few hours RV time from the central U.S. Campgrounds and even cabins are in the works ? this could be a great flying retreat center in the blink of an eye!
Next comes an education center ? a center for aviation skills. Students from all over the area will be able to come and learn to build in metal, wood, composites ? whatever skills we can find instructors for. They?ll learn by doing, and once they become good themselves, they?ll learn more by teaching those coming along behind. This is designed to be a front-end pipeline to get young people into aviation. There will of course be flying, but this is not a flight school. With fences going up around airports all over the country, it is harder and harder for kids to simply get the chance to walk onto the field ? much less be accepted into the aviation community. This should give them a chance!
(Let me digress a moment. When I was 13 years old, I was invited to join an Aviation Explorer post that was being set up by a local FBO and a corporate flying club. The FBO had a couple of ratty old L-4?s that he wanted to rebuild. We worked a couple nights a week, earning credit towards flying time when the planes were finished, but more importantly, we got the chance to become ?hangar rats?, to be welcome at the FBO as sort of an extended family. When we were ready to learn to fly, we were already well acquainted with many different airplanes. It was a young aviation enthusiast?s Nirvana ? and those opportunities are hard to find today. But this new Learning Center provides an opening to recreate those days?.heaven knows that opportunity lead me to where I am today!)
And finally ? the museum. Here is why I think this is more than relevant to the VAF community ? the initial goal is to obtains one of every model RV ever built ? and to not only maintain them in flying condition, but to make them available for flights by qualified people who come to visit. This fleet will be the centerpiece of the learning center, giving real-world maintenance experience as well as the opportunities to fly. Pilots from within the RV community that want to see what a specific plane is like can come by and get a chance to try it.
Now I have been less than forthcoming with the names of those involved, and the location of the field. They?re not quite ready for the word to get out, but I was given the chance to have a look at both the place and the dream, and I?m signing on! (I predict that you?ll be pleased and surprised when you hear who some of the founders are.) This will be a place for friends to get together and watch the sun set after a day?s flying. It will be a place where volunteers can help a kid perfect their new-found riveting technique. And it will be a place where large groups can get together with their airplanes for a weekend of fun. Watch for it. Think about what it might mean for you to be involved. They?re going to need builders, pilots, organizers ? teachers, counselors, and plane old-fashioned workers. At the worst, it doesn?t happen, and nothing but the dream is lost. At the best, you might get hooked ? just like I did ? on the chance to burrow deeper into this community we call ?aviation?.
Stay tuned?..All good things take time!
Where we were standing was a small hillock looking over a grass runway so smooth and firm that when you touch down, you don?t get a ripple or a bump ? just that wonderful swish. Looking across the runway, there is a man-made pond, and behind the hill? A grove of trees with cleared spaces for camping, a nature trail winding through the forest, and lots and lots of open space ? enough to park hundreds of airplanes if they came in to camp. Standing where I was, accompanied by two men with deep roots in aviation (and in particular, RV aviation), I could see the dream in their eyes, and through their passion, I began to believe?..
I was invited to fly over to this private airfield the other day to look over their plans for a new initiative ? a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of aviation by bringing in school-age kids and giving them a chance to learn the way many of us did ? by laying hands on metal, wood, and hardware. By being a part of the exciting opportunity of bringing an airplane to life. And by learning the values that it takes to be successful (and safe) in aviation ? values which translate well into all walks of life. Things like dedication, attention to detail, leadership, and most of all, passion. The goal of the organization is to preserve what we have had, enjoy the present, and build the future, all at the same time. The head spins just thinking about it! And to make it happen, they will need to involve the greater aviation community - not just to provide funding, but to provide talent, leadership, skills, and examples for young men and women to follow.
It goes like this:
This small airfield ? two grass runways, acres and acres of open tie down space, and some wonderful woods ? is being acquired by a newly-formed non-profit educational institution. (The current owner is one of the founders of the dream by the way) In the near future, one of the first tasks will be to reach out to the homebuilding community by hosting fly-ins, camping weekends, and generally good times on the property. There is nothing stopping folks from flying in anytime soon, taxiing over to the tree line, and pitching tents for the night. And that will happen before you know it! This facility could easily host a good old fashioned laid-back fly-in for hundreds of RV?s. Located a short flight from Houston, it is only a few hours RV time from the central U.S. Campgrounds and even cabins are in the works ? this could be a great flying retreat center in the blink of an eye!
Next comes an education center ? a center for aviation skills. Students from all over the area will be able to come and learn to build in metal, wood, composites ? whatever skills we can find instructors for. They?ll learn by doing, and once they become good themselves, they?ll learn more by teaching those coming along behind. This is designed to be a front-end pipeline to get young people into aviation. There will of course be flying, but this is not a flight school. With fences going up around airports all over the country, it is harder and harder for kids to simply get the chance to walk onto the field ? much less be accepted into the aviation community. This should give them a chance!
(Let me digress a moment. When I was 13 years old, I was invited to join an Aviation Explorer post that was being set up by a local FBO and a corporate flying club. The FBO had a couple of ratty old L-4?s that he wanted to rebuild. We worked a couple nights a week, earning credit towards flying time when the planes were finished, but more importantly, we got the chance to become ?hangar rats?, to be welcome at the FBO as sort of an extended family. When we were ready to learn to fly, we were already well acquainted with many different airplanes. It was a young aviation enthusiast?s Nirvana ? and those opportunities are hard to find today. But this new Learning Center provides an opening to recreate those days?.heaven knows that opportunity lead me to where I am today!)
And finally ? the museum. Here is why I think this is more than relevant to the VAF community ? the initial goal is to obtains one of every model RV ever built ? and to not only maintain them in flying condition, but to make them available for flights by qualified people who come to visit. This fleet will be the centerpiece of the learning center, giving real-world maintenance experience as well as the opportunities to fly. Pilots from within the RV community that want to see what a specific plane is like can come by and get a chance to try it.
Now I have been less than forthcoming with the names of those involved, and the location of the field. They?re not quite ready for the word to get out, but I was given the chance to have a look at both the place and the dream, and I?m signing on! (I predict that you?ll be pleased and surprised when you hear who some of the founders are.) This will be a place for friends to get together and watch the sun set after a day?s flying. It will be a place where volunteers can help a kid perfect their new-found riveting technique. And it will be a place where large groups can get together with their airplanes for a weekend of fun. Watch for it. Think about what it might mean for you to be involved. They?re going to need builders, pilots, organizers ? teachers, counselors, and plane old-fashioned workers. At the worst, it doesn?t happen, and nothing but the dream is lost. At the best, you might get hooked ? just like I did ? on the chance to burrow deeper into this community we call ?aviation?.
Stay tuned?..All good things take time!
