Kindergarten Aviation Week VIDEO

[mike londke]

The kids had a great time and it was fun to do. 

[Jared Hays]

I remember when I was elementary school the school let my dad and grandpa come up to the school and give demonstrations on control line flying and airplanes in general.  I was always the coolest kid in school for about the next week!

[Dan McEntee]

   Very cool Mike! Sam will most likely be a pretty popular kid after this week. This is the kind of thing to keep promoting the hobby. Get it out there for kids to see and experience. Yeah, sure they won't all be out at the next contest with their parents, but you are still planting a seed that may sprout in the future. And it's 3 dimensional and not happening on a TV screen! Lots of threads recently about dwindling contests, active fliers passing away and such, and that is all just a fact of life, a time and attrition thing. We just got to keep putting it out there for people to see and hope for the best. I firmly believe it's something inside you that makes you take up the hobby. You can't make someone want to do this. But find the ones that have it inside them, and try to make the spark that ignites the flame. I was flying with Sparky for a while today at Buder Park, and talked to a family of spectators today that had never seen C/L flying. They stayed, watched, and asked questions for quite q while even while the big R/C stuff was buzzing around. The last thing the dad said to me was, "Hey, I could do this in my back yard!"  Time will tell if he ever comes back, but at least the effort was made to reach out to him. Keep up the efforts and good work Mike and hope your presentation is a BIG success.
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[mike londke]

Sam got to show off his Flite Streak and talk about it. 1/2 of the kids got their whip planes colored. Tomorrow I will take in a Galaxy. The kids are excited about the "kits" and can't wait to fly them later in the week. Here are a few pics from today.

[RknRusty]

Man, Sam's a babe magnet, a regular Renaissance man. Thanks for doing that for the kids, you may not only be sparking hobby interests but who knows, future engineers and aviators. I used to fly 1/2As for the kids and parents at the preschool across from my house, but unfortunately the newer pastor seems disinterested when I've approached him.
Rusty

[Dave Hull]

I'd bet the kids, teachers and parents are very glad for your support!

Industry is supporting student development in science and technology to try to ensure skilled employees. We have worked mostly with high schools and middle schools(?) so far. It seems like the earlier the better to me.

Check out one of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) websites:  http://www.ed.gov/stem

McSlow

[john e. holliday]

That is great that you are working with the kids.  Now if only the parents would join in.

[mike londke]

Video is up now.

[Jared Hays]

Awesome job...Those kids will remember that day forever.

[Doug Moon]

That is AWESOME!!!!!!  They will remember that for ever!!

[Paul Taylor]

Very kewl Mike.

You did a great job.

[Steve Scott]

My son had a show and tell when he was in 4th grade.  He chose to detail, "How to fly a control line model airplane."  He took my S-1A Ringmaster (all black and DARE sticker adorned) to class.  He took a sample shortened set of lines and a handle which could get unrolled in the classroom and did all the required preflight prep.  Obviously couldn't start it inside the building...  He already knew how to fly and did his first loop at a crowded fly-in at the local airport.  The kid had a lot more courage than his old man at that age.

[RknRusty]

Those kids were so excited. That made me smile the whole time they were playing with their whip planes and watching you fly. That certainly left a healthy impression on them. Great work Mike. Thanks for sharing that with them and us.
Rusty

[john e. holliday]

I really enjoyed the video, especially the kids with the whip powered planes.   You are to be commended for taking the time to do this.   I want to thank you.