Focus on Education - 2003/02

February 2003 149
I HAVE two letters to share with you this
month. One is from the Oswego Valley
Modelaires in New York state. The other is
from the Hernando Aero Modelers in
Florida. Both clubs are excited about their
programs, as well they should be.
“Here is another update to the September
2002 Model Aviation “Focus on Education”
article concerning the Hawks Junior RC
Flight Training Program run by our club, the
Oswego Valley Modelaires of upstate New
York. This also may be the last update for
the 2002 season because the upstate New
York winter is on its way.
“The first season for the Hawks officially
came to an end. Thursday, August 29, was
our last official night and as you might guess
it was one of our busiest. Since I last wrote
to you, we have picked up several more
members bringing our membership up to 16
with 9 being very active.
“Our official season ran Tuesdays and
Thursdays evenings in June, July, and
August. We had originally planned to stop at
the end of the season and pick it up again
next year but I think we’re enjoying this too
much because we decided to continue the
program unofficially through the remainder
of the year, flying Saturday afternoons when
weather permits.
“Most of the current students can fly
around the sky pretty well. They pick it up
quickly. Several of our students can take off
on their own to start their flights. We have
two students, Shane Pease and Josh Chipkin,
who soloed this past September. We’re not
disappointed that no one soloed during the
season.
“The numbers for the season show that
we had 26 evenings for flying. A few
evenings were canceled due to weather or
holidays and most of the kids if not all,
missed at least half of those evening because
of other obligations outside of flying. So all
in all I think the kids were right where they
should be for the average amount of stick
time needed to solo and Shane and Josh
were in since the beginning.
“I believe everyone involved will say
that soloing wasn’t the primary goal. Having
fun flying and doing it safely was our goal.
If soloing is your goal then sign up fewer
kids so they get more stick time. We’ll
spend as much time as necessary to make
sure that those who graduate are confident
and safe fliers.
“The test!
“Students ready to take the solo test have
ample opportunity to look over the solo test
beforehand so there are no surprises. The
test is in two parts. The first section deals
with the transmitter impound and the
frequency board. This part the student must
do alone. The rest of the test the student can
have an assistant help him.
“In one part of the test we sabotage the
airplane and the student must find all the
things wrong. While he’s flying we also
move his trims around and he must get them
back to a hands-off condition.
“One of the things we purposely did was
to have the dead stick landing as the very
last part of the test. This has the effect of
causing everyone present to get very quiet.
This past weekend we had a picnic with
about 50 people in attendance. The sky was
cleared and all engines in the pit were shut
down as Josh started his test.
“Near the end we put the airplane way up
high and cut the engine for the dead stick
landing finale. While the airplane was on its
way down you could have heard a pin drop.
I’ll never forget the cheers from all those
people as Josh hit the runway to finish the
flight and pass his test. They went nuts.
“Even as I write this Josh’s dad tells me
that he’s still on cloud nine. It was great!
“Another thing we did at test time was to
put a new wooden propeller on the airplane.
After they pass their test we remove the
prop, date it, and give it to the new pilot as
their wings, so to speak. They then take it
around and get people to sign it.
“We also made up a diploma. Staples,
the stationary store, has card stock paper
with preprinted borders on them. We just
filled in the empty space in the middle,
added a gold seal, and that was it. They
really turned out nice.
“Jack, we’ve had a ball this season with
this youth program. I know the others will
agree with me when I tell you we didn’t
think it would have done so much for our
club, the kids, and ourselves. I would
encourage any club that doesn’t at this
moment have some kind of youth program
to start one. One airplane, a few members,
and you’re on your way. It’s that simple.
“You don’t need to make this more
complicated than that. If your club is in a
rut, needs a direction, or needs more but you
don’t know what that more is, just do
something like this for a season even if it’s
only one night a week. Do it; you won’t
regret it.
“I’m working to put together an
information packet on the program. In the
meantime, individuals can contact me if they
want more information on how to get
started: Tim Pease, Box 241, Hannibal NY
13074; E-mail: [email protected].”
Otto K. Mueller of Spring Hill, Florida,
sent the following concerning a joint youth
program between the Hernando Aero
Modelers (H.A.M.) and the Civil Air Patrol.
“You have probably noted quite a few
Youth Applications coming through for
membership in the AMA. I think that at this
time you are most certainly entitled to
determine what this is all about.
“My name is Otto K. Mueller and I am a
member of the AMA’s Hernando Aero
Modelers and the Aerospace Education
Officer for the Hernando County Composite
Squadron SER301 of the Florida Civil Air
Patrol. Both are located in Spring Hill,
Florida.
“Several years ago while talking with
Cliff Manspeaker, then president of H.A.M.,
the subject was brought up about the youth
programs that both organizations had. The
idea was formed whereby cadets of the Civil
Air Patrol could be taught and guided to
build and fly radio-controlled model
airplanes. By doing so as part of their
Aerospace Education Program they could
learn of the construction of an airplane and
how and why it flies.
“Over the past several years, Civil Air
Patrol cadets have built two trainer-type
airplanes under the guidance of H.A.M.
members and are now building a Four-Star
60 airplane. To further their flying activity, a
flight simulator is located in the Civil Air
Patrol Headquarters where they can learn to
fly prior to going out to the field where
H.A.M. instructors teach them to fly.
“We are very proud of this program and
appreciative of the AMA’s support with its
youth program. The cadets cannot
participate in this program until they become
AMA members. With it all safety is
paramount. I am happy to enclose some
pictures of the cadets working on the Four-
Star 60 airplane.”
C.A.P. Cadets working on the wing
section with Don Ogren instructing.
People comment that AMA should be doing
more to attract kids. These two clubs—plus
many others that are running these kinds of
programs—seem to realize that they are the
AMA.
I can’t begin to say how important their
efforts are to involve kids in our sport. I can
say that I will help you with starting,
developing, and/or maintaining your
program.
Give me a call at AMA Education and
we’ll talk.
Focus on Education
Jack Frost
AMA Education
Coordinator
Tel.: (765) 287-1256
Ext. 515
[email protected]
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