One of the more satisfying gifts our
hobby brings to us is that of sharing
our experiences with others. To
witness the pure joy on the faces of
those taking their first flights is, as the
ad says: “priceless.”
For those of us who belong to clubs
that fly on public lands, hosting events
that help spotlight our activities
not only plants the seeds for future
modelers, but also is a way for us to
thank our hosts for allowing us the
privilege of using the property.
Please read on about a recent Girl
Scout Aviation Day put on by the
Pontiac Miniature Aircraft Club
(PMAC). I especially enjoyed the
blending of full-scale and model
aviation activities.
PMAC recently hosted 62 Girl Scouts,
their leaders, and parents for PMAC’s
Girl Scout Aviation Day. On a threeyear
rotating cycle, PMAC invites
Girl Scouts, then Boy Scouts, then
the general community to come to
its flying site. Attendees spend the
day going through a series of aviation
mini-seminars, followed by training in
the club’s computer simulators, and
then off to the flightline to experience
buddy-box flying with one of the
club’s many instructors.
The specific emphasis of the day
was Aviation Careers for Women.
Female RC pilots, woman air traffic
controllers, and lady commercial
pilots led many of the activities.
PMAC member Jeane Smith, an
experienced RC pilot, taught Women
in Aviation. Everyone knows who
Amelia Earhart was, but they likely
know little about the other women
who have helped shape aviation. Who
was Jackie Cochran? Who was Olive
Ann Beech? Who is the fastest woman
on earth in an airplane?
Kathleen Johnson, an air traffic
controller in a Pontiac, Michigan,
tower, discussed careers for woman
in the FAA, and how she got into air
traffic control. Kathleen and PMAC
instructor, Scott Millard, a new
private pilot, put on a hilarious mock
radio exchange for the crowd.
Heidi Weger, an air rescue
helicopter pilot, talked about
ascending the aviation ranks and how
she never regretted taking that career
path. Heidi told humorous stories
about her experiences in both fixedwing
and rotary-wing aircraft.
Other activities included discussions
about aviation weather, navigation,
and electronic navigation aids,
volunteer aviation organizations such
as Civil Air Patrol, aviation careers,
and aviation science. After completing
the mini-seminars, the Girl Scouts
flew one of the PMAC’s computer
RC simulators. To wrap up the event,
they went to the flightline and flew a
PMAC trainer. PMAC was pleased to
have broad FAA participation as well.
PMAC has been one of the nation’s
most successful AMA clubs in using
AMA’s Introductory Pilot Program.
Activities such as the Girl Scout
and Boy Scout Aviation Days have
also contributed much to the club’s
success with the Introductory Pilot
Program. These Girl Scout and Boy
Scout programs are modeled after
an AMA Take off And Grow (TAG)
program.
If your club would like to host a
Girl Scout Aviation Day, PMAC has
considerable material catered for
Girl Scouts and their Aviation Fun
Patch or the Girl Scouts of the USA
Aviation Merit Badge. Email the club
for more information at PMACJoe@
comcast.net. Take a kid flying!
Associate Vice Presidents: Bruce Baier, Oshkosh WI; (920) 233-1127; [email protected]; Lee Frederickson,
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/08
Page Numbers: 151