My son is now a future aviator.

[David LaPell]

It's been a heck of a week. My 9 year old son finished a week long college course (no credits though) that is for Young Aviators. It was held by the Empire State Aerospace Museum and taught the kids, starting at age 8, about aviation, and not only about airplanes but about aviation in general. The kids had to work together, plan out missions which involved navigation, plotting fuel usage, waypoints, etc. They also took a field trip to the local Air National Guard Base, were given presentations by several of the aircrew and got to go inside an LC-130, which are only stationed here locally and are used to missions to the Antarctic.
All of the kids also got to take a flight provided by several of the volunteer pilots. My son got to fly in a Mooney M20J.
The kids all did well, received their FAA logbooks, even got certificates of merit from a NY State Senator.

Today, as part of the program, another airport was also holding flights so my son attended and got his second flight in an airplane, a 1946 Aircoupe. So now he has 1 1/2 hours of flying time in a small plane, and was able to take some great photos and even a bit of video, and since he was up front beside the pilots, in both cases he was allowed to take the controls for a bit and get the sensation of flight. He is now hooked and is already interested in going again next year and is looking forward to being able to join the Civil Air Patrol in a couple of years when he becomes eligible. He's definitely been bitten by the flying bug.

Getting ready for his flight in the Mooney M20J, his first time in an airplane in the air.

Taxiing out to one of the far runways.

A photo from the Mooney.

Sitting up front in the LC-130

Waiting by the Aircoupe.

The Aircoupe and my son in the air.

A pic my son took from the Aircoupe.

 

[6518John]

His picture at the controls looks like he is strafing a panzer battalion!

 

[cowboy4evr]

I loved taking young kids up for their first flight . I explained everything we would do before it happened . I would let them have a little time at the controls when we got airborne and some altitude . I used my Cessna 172 and later a 1946 Taylorcraft BC-12D . The smile on their face was always worth it . Regards, Paul

 

[kmyers]

My dad was a pilot, I always wanted to learn but the cost...

 

[Sistema1927]

Quite a thrill. When my son was about the same age he loved it whenever I said "your airplane" and let him take control of my C172. I did have to say "step on the ball" from time to time (something that you don't need to do in an Ercoupe since it doesn't have rudder pedals), but other than that he was able to maintain altitude and course.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

Careful now, none of your hats/caps are gonna fit tomorrow! You probably need to check already and see if you lost any buttons.

Congratulations to you and the boy!!!

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Texas40]

Awesome. More of his generation should get that exposure.
Hard to get the younger ones interested in flying these days as access to airport and aircraft can be tough at some places.

Mooney International in Kerrville is a customer of mine Im in aviation parts distribution.

Hope he keeps after it in aviation. Great field that can earn you good money but it takes lots of dues paying to get there.

Good luck young man.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jag312]

One of the most memorable times of your son's life will be the first time he sits in the left seat and takes off. "WOW! I'm in the air and I have the controls!"

 

[cowboy4evr]

I was 16 and it was my senior yr in High School . I had a job working at a gas station 4 nights a week 4-midnight . Got paid $1 / hr . One wks pay check , after taxes ($24) left me with enough for one hr of dual instruction . It cost $16 / hr in a 1959 C-150 . I hadn't told my parents . After about a month they were wondering where my $ was going ? My mom was not happy , my dad was thrilled . I soloed in 5.8 hrs . It just came so natural to me , I felt the airplane and I were " one " . I continued flying and after 8 yrs and much more instruction I was offered a chance at a job as a pilot with Pan American World Airways . I decided that job just wasn't for me . I was blessed with the chance 5 yrs later to live my passion , my dream as a cowboy . I have no regrets , I wouldn't change a thing . Regards, Paul

 

[jeffsmith]

The Ercoupe is my Favorite Plane Most of them (Not all) have no rudder pedals
I have metal legs so it's a plane I could fly without modifications

 

[pmanton]

Go for it. I soloed 4 days after my 16th birthday (1954) and got my private ticket a a few days after my 17th birthday. I'm still flying today at 81 and own an Aircoupe and a Tri-Pacer.

 

[M29since14]

J-model Mooney. What a GREAT airplane! Some of my best memories of my Dad are of flying with him in his Mooney when I was a young lad. Nice to see your son taking an interest in flying. If it continues, help him when it's prudent, but never push.

 

[JohnZMI]

Dad (WWII Navy Hellcat carrier pilot) taught me to fly, soloed at 16 in a Super Cub, built hours in a V35 Bonanza, then 3 years in helicopters for Uncle Sam. Back in civilian life, continued to build hours in Dad's insurance and charter business (Mitsubishi MU-2K). Stopped flying about 10 years ago (at 7700 hours) due to health issues that kept me from passing my medical. Still love to fly, just can't sit in the left seat any more. Congratulations to your son - hope he continues to enjoy flying!

 

[robvious]

start saving money now... that is how my son started... now he is in his senior year in Aerospace Engineering at Wichita State University... I told him he needs to pay for the pilots license himself... I think he is well on his way...lol

 

[31FordA]

Great to see a young person get interested in flying. I was 10 when I decided I wanted to be a pilot. A friend of my Dad offered to take me for a ride in his Stearman bi-plane, "Bye, Bye Blackbird". When I climbed into the front cockpit I had never thought of being a pilot. That ride in the Stearman was the best ting I had ever experienced. After we got back the first thing I said to my Dad when I hoped down off the wing was "I want to be a pilot!". Dad used to joke about that free plane ride costing him thousands of dollars.

Airplanes became the focus of my life as a kid. I went to dozens and dozens of air shows and fly-ins. Thanks to the generosity of my Dad's friend, Mr. DiMatteo, I got to go up in the Stearman a lot, getting an intro to flying. I also joined the Civil Air Patrol. My parents scraped the money together for me to start taking lessons when I was 16, and I had my Private Pilot license before I graduated high school. There is nothing like flying.

 

[Faulkner]

I started my flight training in a Cessna 150 and soloed when I was 15 years old. I wasn't old enough to drive to the airport for my flying lessons and had to bum a ride with one of my buddies. I was working after school and weekends to pay for the training.

Similar to 31FordA, I finished up all my required training hours and cross country requirements when I was 16 years old and had to wait until my 17th birthday to take my FAA check ride for my Private Pilot's License. I passed my check ride and for a few months I was the youngest licensed pilot in the state of Arkansas. When most of my high school friends were spending money on cars and cruising around the local strip on Friday and Saturday, I was either flying or working to make money to pay for flying, and I never made a big deal about me having my pilot's license at high school.

Interestingly, there was this one very cute and smart blonde girl in my 11th grade civics class that I had my eye on. I eventually worked up the nerve to ask her out and on our first date on a Friday night and I took her to see a movie. When I took her home around 10:30 and walked her to the front porch I asked if she'd like to go on an adventure tomorrow morning for a couple of hours? She looked at me quizzically but said "okay". I picked her up next morning, drove out to the airport and on our second date took her for a ride in a two seat Aeronca Model 7 Champion "Champ" tail dragger that belonged to my instructor.

That cute blonde and I have been married for 37 years.

Flying been a great experience, I encourage young people who have a interest in aviation to pursue it.

 

[Skeet 028]

Good for that young'un. Flying is so neat. I had about 15 hrs flying...then the gummit paid for my flight instruction. Loved the T craft and even flew the Champ. Had an Cessna 170 a Tri-Pacer and an ercoupe..an early one 1940 Had to prop it to get 'er going.. That one was the most fun but I liked the tail draggers best. Always wanted to find an affordable Maule but the Helio Courier did most of what was needed. That Mooney your son flew in is a great plane. Hope he continues to fly. Flying now days is so much different than it was when I started. My first flight was in a Taylorcraft military spotter plane. Guy bought it surplus. He finally crashed it(in a plowed field) after a few years. He never did have a pilot's license. I first got interested being a spotter in the little town I grew up in. Things were different in the 50s for certain. In a weird turn of events the lady in charge of the spotter group ended up as my mother in law many years later. Yeah her daughter was a blonde too!! Now after 48 yrs I turned all that blonde hair she had to gray/white