The International Cessna^® 170 Association

for some of us that have a NON AVIATION job I could make a very good argument that the "Hangar" is a place I go to "relax", but I will still post this in "The Pilot Lounge" anyway My friend and I were at my hangar the other day talking aeroplanes and such and the most recent EAA Magazine came up particularly the Rod Hightower article on "Young Eagles". I have 3 young lads that are itching for there first ride and I have promised them as soon as I get my plane back together i would give them a ride. So I sent off to EAA for their Young Eagles packet. It is a rather nice packet, you even get a certificate to fill out with their name on it for their first flight. It's a good deal so if you haven't been involved in the Young Eagles take a moment and give it a second look, I'm glad I did.

W.

W I have had the pleasure of giving over 270 young eagle rides since I purchase my 170 and I must say its a great program for the kids and the pilots. Some of the rides have been very educational for the kids and others are probably just joy rides. Some of the most fun kids have been from the inter city areas where you are providing the only opportunity that these folks have ever had to get in the air. A few years ago one of the flight instructors who taught at a local school for special needs children brought out three young men from the school where she taught. I gave each a ride letting them sit up front so they could watch what I was doing and show them what the various controls could do. They appeared not to pay much attention to what I was talking about so I figured it was above their heads but so be it I did the best I could. After the seperate rides I loaded up all three and flew them over their school. After entering the pattern to land I was a little late putting on the flaps when the kid sitting next to me who has hardly said a word until now says "Did you forget the flaps?" Another time a friend asked if I could give a young man in a wheel chair a ride. I said sure as long a parent went along. He did not say a word and I was not sure if he was having fun or not so I asked mom if he liked roller coasters and his mom smiled and said they were his favorite things. A nice push pull and push on the yoke sure made his day. He insisted on a few more which I was happy to do as long as mom was not getting sick. Anytime you can make a kids like thats day it sure feals good. Of all the kids I have flown only one or two wanted to go back early which I always promised to do If they asked because I always wanted to provide the best possible experience to the kids. Bill K

Yes W the Young Eagles program is a great program. Yes kids get rides but you get the most out of it. My number in about ten years is near a hundred but I don't keep track and I've given more rides than I've submitted paper.

It is unfortunate really that it took a program like Young Eagles to get pilots to do what we always should have been doing.

And when a ride can't happen kids are always welcome to sit in my plane or my helicopter. I've probably helped 2000 kids in and out of the aircraft I've flown. I've stood by the helicopter for 8 hours in a day loading and in loading kids at air shows.

The funniest moments are with the parents. When I flew one of the local news channel helicopters we would do static displays as well as land and let people look at the helicopter. Twice we landed the helicopter on the loading dock in down town Philly and the helicopter was towed into the Convention Center for display.

Parents would walk up scolding their kids not to climb into the helicopter and to wait their turn. Then we'd assure them it was alright to sit in the pilots seat. Of course the younger ones grab the cycling and start yanking and banking with it which doesn't hurt it. All the time I'm usually holding a conversation with the parent about flying. The helicopter was a bit of a local celebrity because they all see it on TV. After their kid has thrashed the stick around a bit I hand the kid back to the parent and the parent looks inside for the first time. They look at me in shock when they realize their kid was sitting in the real thing thrashing the stick around. All along they'd thought it was just a mock up.

Young Eagles is a GREAT program. I have flown many also and without all the paperwork. It is neat to see a smile that can't be wiped off.

John

W.J.Langholz wrote: My friend and I were at my hangar the other day talking aeroplanes and such - - - I have promised them as soon as I get my plane back together i would give them a ride. - - -W.

HAY OWD WILLOY , THYS IS WATCHER POSED TU PUT IN THU "HANGER" WHYSA URE ARO'PLANE APART AN WHYS U TAKIN STED UF WORKIN ON HIT> >

Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:.... The helicopter was a bit of a local celebrity because they all see it on TV. After their kid has thrashed the stick around a bit I hand the kid back to the parent and the parent looks inside for the first time. They look at me in shock when they realize their kid was sitting in the real thing thrashing the stick around. All along they'd thought it was just a mock up.

They are all mock ups. I always tell the kids "Helicopters are not airplanes. Helicopters do not really fly. You are not interested in helicopters."

gahorn wrote: They are all mock ups. I always tell the kids "Helicopters are not airplanes. Helicopters do not really fly. You are not interested in helicopters."

George, I tell them the same thing. But the line doesn't get smaller. Maybe kids are smart. Maybe it's because they look around and see no airplanes because it was their school yard I just landed in or maybe it's the crazy helicopter pilot who will let them thrash the controls around a bit while the "cool" airplanes are roped off.

flyguy wrote:

W.J.Langholz wrote: My friend and I were at my hangar the other day talking aeroplanes and such - - - I have promised them as soon as I get my plane back together i would give them a ride. - - -W.

HAY OWD WILLOY , THYS IS WATCHER POSED TU PUT IN THU "HANGER" WHYSA URE ARO'PLANE APART AN WHYS U TAKIN STED UF WORKIN ON HIT> >

Hey there Ol Gar...where you been I have been checking the obits but no Gar ...... Long story short....in another thread I was talking about a leaky nose strut, sssshhhhhhh not suppose to use that word nose around here people might get to thinking the wrong things, anyways it's not going the best even with Ol Gay Horn's pointers so in the main hangar it's going on Thursday and we are going to due and annual at the same time as fixin the sssshhhhhh thing then we are gonna give some RIDES!!!!!!

For now we have everything pulled out, pulled up the old flooring ee-gads I don't think it's ever been scrubbed there before. Now I'm in search of new flooring. I just as soon stay with rubber, flying mostly on grass and dirt runways, but haven't fond any yet. Ifin you have and idea-er there send it my way, cowling is off, scud holes opened up ALL ready for the A&P to do his stuff

W.