Videos

[john e. holliday]

Over on the Beginner Give a way is a video of a young lad.   I really truly love watching the kids fly, even if it is a video.  When my grand kids were flying I would just fuel, start and launch.   They would take turns retrieving the plane and bringing it back to me.   Also I have lost count of how young guys/gals I have watched grow up in this facinating hobby.  Thanks for the video.

[MarcusCordeiro]

Very cool!
Love to see kids getting involved, at such young age,better yet!
Now it seems these video games have taken over...
I played a lot of atari, but there were other things too, like control line.
Thanks Doc

Marcus

[john e. holliday]

Thanks to Sparky for adding the video to the post.

[RC Storick]

That kid is receiving a flight streak trainer .15 for posting that video. Thanks to all the supporters here at Stunt Hangar.

[Randy Ryan]

That's GREAT!!  I love to watch them too. Here when Mike Paris was about five and John was teaching him to fly, he was a tippy toer, it was great to watch, about 40 tiny steps per revolution. Great stuff, thanks Sparky for the gift to this little guy.

[mike londke]

 Ok guys since you seemed to like that one here is another video of Samuel on a not so successful flying day. Lots of thumps but we had a good time. Remember he is only 4.                                    

[ray copeland]

Great video Mike!! Hopefully Samuel is all fired up for spring flying. I built my grand daughter a 1/2a for her birthday a couple weeks ago and she is bugging me to fly it. Really amazing was all of the one flip starts!

[Dan McEntee]

  Hi Mike;
      Great videos, and glad to see you both have the patience to stick with it. My son Sean was only 3 years old when he soloed on a Goldberg Wizzard, and I know I have video of that around someplace, but can't seem to find it. Sean was pretty much raised at the flying field and been around airplanes of some sort all his life. He's 28 years old now, and a U.S.Army UAV operator with two tours of Iraq and one in Afghanistan under his belt, and recently moved up to the Army's version of the Preditor, called the Grey Eagle. He checks in here on Stunt Hanger from time to time. Your boy is 4 years old now, but from here on out there is no telling where he could go. Get as many pictures and as much video of the journey as you can, because these are golden times for you and will be fun to look back on with him years from now.
   While he is this young, keep him in the small stuff until his hands get a bit bigger. The .15 size trainer will pull a bit more than he may be able to hold on to. Sullivan makes a handle that has 2" and 4" line spacing on it, and the grip on it is smaller than typical control line handles, or make him something custom. A model in the .15 size range will pull about 15 pounds or so, and you can simulate that with a fish scale rigged up to the handle to give him am idea of what to expect. The larger size, louder engine, and longer lines may intimidate him a bit, but just remind him that if he can fly the small one, the bigger ones are easier. If you have some .049 models that will fly out at 35 to 40 feet lines, that will give him some idea what to expect also. The Flight streak Trainer will fly around 52 to 60 feet. In my opinion, he's not too young to learn how to start and handle the engines either. HE may nick a finger now and then, but the .049's are pretty tame, and won't do much damage, and that is how respect for the prop is learned. Afterall, we weren't much older than that when we started cranking them!
   So congrats to you and your son, and thanks for posting the video. It brought back lots of memories for me!
     Good luck and have fun,
   Dan McEntee

[mike londke]

Dan, I will be making a dual handle with 2 safety thongs for the Flite Streak Trainer. OS La .15 for power, 52' lines, and a low pitch prop to keep it slow.

[RC Storick]

I choose the flight streak for him because of the construction and durability of the model. I am sure its going to take some abuse. I would suggest finishing resin like zpoxy over the whole thing. Maybe even 1/2 OZ glass cloth.

[Dan McEntee]

Dan, I will be making a dual handle with 2 safety thongs for the Flite Streak Trainer. OS La .15 for power, 52' lines, and a low pitch prop to keep it slow.

     Mike;
     The dual handle will be OK, but just go with one thong and put it on him. That leaves you free to move around behind him a little. Besides, if he's a hot shoe with the 1/2A stuff by the time the bigger model is ready, he'll surprise you with the ease of transition. My son Sean had no problems, and his eyes were as big as saucers on the first flights of his SIG Akromaster when he figured out everything I told him was true! Check out the construction of the Streak Trainer and figure out how to rubber band mount the wing, using half dowels to key it square to the fuselage. Move the bell crank mount to the fuselage on the inboard side, The holes in the leadout guide can be big enough for the leadouts to go through with no problems. Skin the fuselage with 1/64"ply and some light glass on the wings like Sparky recommends, and this model will be around for his kids to learn on! Working with the kids is addiction. I've been going to the EAA AirVenture convention in Oshkosh for the last 13 years as a KidVenture volunteer and we have a couple of circles set up at the KidVenture venue to give kids a taste of Control Line flying. I've probably had 2000 to 3000 kids and adults on the handle over the years, and the models we fly are on 42 foot lines and powered with Norvel .061s. If I think of it, I'll send you the file with the plans and descriptions on it. it's made form core plast sign material, yard sticks and hardware store materials and is quite indestructable. You may not need that but there is some interesting techniques on the plans that may be helpfull. From the video it looks like his enthusiasm is quite evident and it will be hard to tell who is having more fun, you or him!
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[mike londke]

Dan,thanks for the offer on the plans but the airplane in the  video is a Coroplast, yardstick-type. I outlined a Bratco Skybaby on a political sign, yardstick motormount, can of rustoleum and presto! Not a  stunter but super tough. I too have had the pleasure of putting many people on the handle over the years. Its how my father taught me when I was 5. I will continue to do updates  on Sams progress this season (starting with the build) if there is any interest.

[Dan McEntee]

  Hi Mike;
    Well great minds think alike! That is pretty much the exact same thing we came up for the Oshkosh model and we dubbed it "Tuff Baby." The fuse is the base for the whole thing, and it holds the bell crank mount and engine mount. There is a top and bottom piece, and the "air frame" is sandwiched in between. A lead out guide is inserted into the corrugations at the end of the wing. When the "air frame" wears out or breaks, a new one is simply put in place and away you go. So far, we haven't broken one yet. We copied the outline of the Sky Baby also just because it was easy, but any shape or configuration could be used.
    And by all means, please do keep us updated on his progress. He's where we all started and it's always fun to relive it again.
   Type at you later,
     Dan McEntee

[MarcusCordeiro]

Hi Mike

Great job! That's it encouragement is the secret, and having fun in the process.
From the video one can assume Sam will be a combat flyer and a head banger!!!

Up the Irons Mike!!!!

Marcus

[John Stiles]

Thanks y'all for the videos...brings back memories of my young sons and daughters learning to fly. I remember Charlie, he just kept asking could he do a loop? LOL When I finally gave him the okay, he did five loops without stopping...I started immediately worrying about the setup I had on that plane. But he did it without even a hitch. he was my best young pilot.