Here is an article that I wrote for a publication called "The Atlantic Flyer" that is aimed at the airshow enthusiast and airshow performer. A guy I met on line asked me to write it. It may still be viewable on their website. I wrote it before the MA article came out. I hoe this works!!!
EAA KidVenture:
Planting the seed of interest in aviation one kid at a time!
No matter what kind of special interest or activity group you may be active in, there seems to be one common problem that that arises every now and then; getting new, younger people involved with your particular area of interest. Aviation at any level is no different.
Quite some time ago, The Experimental Aircraft Association instituted their Young Eagles program, where young kids are given a free ride in an airplane to introduce them to the thrill of flight. By the time of the one hundredth anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight in 2003, they had given over one million kids a chance to experience what it is like to fly. But there seemed to be a need for something more.
Rules and regulations prevent kids from getting in the cockpit, not to mention the expense of it. Some of the management and leaders at the EAA came up with the idea of KidVenture and in 1998 it became an integral part of the annual EAA AirVenture Convention. Since then, thousands and thousands of kids of all ages and nationalities have passed through the KidVenture venue and have been able to experience several different aspects of aviation first hand and hands on. The size and scope of the Airventure convention helps this result to include kids from almost all 50 States and many foreign countries, both boys and girls!
What kid doesn’t like to pick up, handle or examine something new and different that they haven’t seen before? Kids are often told, ”Look but don’t touch!” At KidVenture, they have the opportunity to have a hands on experience at many things related to aviation, such as building a balsa model glider, hand carve a replica wooden prop, use real hand tools for metal and wood used in the construction of home built aircraft, and many other activities.
The areas of science are not left out at Kidventure. Small scale wind tunnels show them the basics of aerodynamics. There are booths where they can learn about weather, or assemble and trouble shoot simple electronic circuits. They can put together their own log of all these activities as they make their way around the hangers and tents. when they are ready for a break, they can sit in front of the “Heroes Stage” where they can hear special guest speakers ranging from Dick Rutan, to Chuck Yeager, to Patty Wagstaff and others tell their story of how they got into aviation and then take questions from the audience.
There are also displays from the US Military and other companies and programs looking to reach out to kids and young people also. As I stated before, finding new blood is a prime interest to a lot of people!
There are several simulators inside where a child can take the controls of an airplane or helicopter and once he has “passed” on the simulator, he then can go outside to where hands on radio control and control line model demonstrations are being held. All a kid has to do is put his name and the state he is from on a sign up sheet, and he or she will be given a chance to earn a set of wings by flying a trainer type radio controlled or control line model airplane, and that is where I come in.
I fly control line aerobatic model airplanes in competition, and ten years ago, a friend of mine from Milwaukee was telling me about the then new KidVenture concept and knew one of the founders of the program, a gentleman by the name of Sean Elliott. Sean is the Director of Flight Operations for the Pioneer Airport section of the EAA Museum and is also a former Junior National Champion for control line aerobatics.
This was the early days of KidVenture and they were looking for interested control line model enthusiasts to volunteer top work the control line circles at the KidVenture venue. Volunteers work a morning or early afternoon shift at one of the KidVenture attractions, and then the rest of the day is yours to enjoy the rest of the AirVenture Convention and daily Air Show. They also receive a shirt and hat, and a simple lunch is provided each day. I usually travel with two to three other modeling friends who volunteer also, and we share travel and lodging expenses. We also take some of our own models to fly at demonstrations through the day, and at the site during the evening after the end of the afternoon air show, weather permitting. You can’t ask for a better atmosphere for a model and aviation enthusiast than flying models at a vintage airport while P-51 Mustangs, T-6 Texans, Pitts Specials, and countless other types of aircraft fly over head and around you! After ten years, we have probably introduced control line model aviation to several thousand boys, girls and adults.
It’s hard to gauge the results and effects of this exposure, but the effort has to be made. This year, we had a young girl and members of her family come back again and work the control line circles as volunteer pilots and ground crews. They were some of the first to visit the venue more than ten years ago. The Olson’s are a “model” family! The father, Howard, and son Eric (who was on the US control line speed team two years ago) and daughter Kelsey (who flies control line scale models) all worked as instructor pilots while mom Melissa kept things running smoothly in the sign up tent. A child may not show an interest at a young age, But maybe the spark that he or she got at KidVenture will linger and ignite into a burning passion later on in life. I’m a firm believer that you can’t completely know what is inside a person and what it takes to reach them. You can’t force them to like or try anything that they don’t want to.. But if you give them (the kids) the exposure to something that they have never seen or tried before, you may be putting them on a path to a life long involvement with aviation and all it has to offer, and maybe even a way to make a living! Who knows what kind of new idea or concept may be in the mind of the next little boy or girl you talk to!
The Kidventure venue is located at the Pioneer Airport section of the EAA Air Museum at the west end of Wittman Regional Airport. The hours of operation are usually 9Am to 3:30PM . Buses and trams run regularly from the flight line area of the of the AirVenture Convention and drop off at the museum and the Kidventure venue. It’s all free and part of your admission to the daily EAA Airventure Convention and Air Show. If you are interested in volunteering your time, check out the EAA web site and contact them for information on how to sign up. I’ve been at it for ten years so far, and I’ve made my lodging reservations for next year already! See you next year at AirVenture 2010 and KidVenture!
Topic: AMA and Kidenture kid venture article no CL! (Read 6734 times)