Just got home from taking my 11 year old son to an EAA "Young Eagles" introductory flight. If you aren't familiar with it, local pilots volunteer their time and aircraft to take up kids who are interested in aviation for a first flight. After about a fourty-five minute intro on how to prep a plane for flight and how the basic controls work, we got to go up for about a 45 minute flight. My son even got to fly the plane for a few minutes. All free of charge. Absolutely a fantastic program that I can't recommend highly enough. Obviously, I would assume availability depends on the supply of local pilots who participate. Needless to say, I have a pretty excited young what to be aviator on my hands. Comes with a free young membership to the EAA and the AMA and access to a free "ground school." Just thought I'd share with you all.
Info here: http://www.youngeagles.org/
That's awesome! If Jr is still into it, consider signing him up for Civil Air Patrol (the Air Force Auxiliary). Most small towns with airports have a squadron and as cadets the kids can actually start learning how to fly aircraft. 
Thats really cool. Dealing with military surplus, I deal with a few Civil Air Patrol guys. Seen some pretty neat videos.
Javelin wrote:
That's awesome! If Jr is still into it, consider signing him up for Civil Air Patrol (the Air Force Auxiliary). Most small towns with airports have a squadron and as cadets the kids can actually start learning how to fly aircraft.
Thanks, I'll look into that. He's VERY interested right now. He also just recently started flying RC planes too. He suffers from his dad's "Hobby ADD", so we'll see if it lasts. Without something like CAP, its probably a hobby that will get prohibitively expensive quite soon.
They just did a Young Eagles program at my county airport.
Good to see the look on the faces of some of them after the flight.
Good for you and your son. I wish they had had a program like this when I was growing up.
Your kid is doomed. He'll spend days thinking about airplanes, reading books, watching movies just for the aircraft scenes. Later, he'll tryout for the Air Force but fail on a technicality. Undaunted, he will work his butt off saving up for flight training. A year later he'll get his check ride and FAA ticket.
Wait, that's my story.
I had my first Eagles flight in 1993. 
wish it had been around when I was a kid
Appleseed wrote:
Your kid is doomed. He'll spend days thinking about airplanes, reading books, watching movies just for the aircraft scenes. Later, he'll tryout for the Air Force but fail on a technicality. Undaunted, he will work his butt off saving up for flight training. A year later he'll get his check ride and FAA ticket.
Wait, that's my story.
I had my first Eagles flight in 1993.
I always planned military aviation as well, except that Top Gun came out when I was 13 years old, so the military pretty much had "pick of the litter" for pilot training. I didn't have the eyesight or the build the military was looking for at that time, although I might have met current guidelines. Ended up getting involved in law enforcement and going to law school instead. I'm not sure yet whether he will try the military route or try to go straight into commercial aviation. (Or, more likely, change his 11 year old mind about what he wants to do next week) We have an excellent university/flight school program (Western Michigan University) about 10 miles from home.
kazoospec wrote:
I always planned military aviation as well, except that Top Gun came out when I was 13 years old, so the military pretty much had "pick of the litter" for pilot training. I didn't have the eyesight or the build the military was looking for at that time, although I might have met current guidelines. Ended up getting involved in law enforcement and going to law school instead. I'm not sure yet whether he will try the military route or try to go straight into commercial aviation. (Or, more likely, change his 11 year old mind about what he wants to do next week) We have an excellent university/flight school program (Western Michigan University) about 10 miles from home.
Not sure on what build you are talking about... but recently we had the Thunderbirds here in Atlantic City for the air show. I live within walking distance of the airport/airbase (if you do not mind a long walk) and I was surprised to see how "Small" the fighter jocks were.
mad_machine wrote:
kazoospec wrote:
I always planned military aviation as well, except that Top Gun came out when I was 13 years old, so the military pretty much had "pick of the litter" for pilot training. I didn't have the eyesight or the build the military was looking for at that time, although I might have met current guidelines. Ended up getting involved in law enforcement and going to law school instead. I'm not sure yet whether he will try the military route or try to go straight into commercial aviation. (Or, more likely, change his 11 year old mind about what he wants to do next week) We have an excellent university/flight school program (Western Michigan University) about 10 miles from home.
Not sure on what build you are talking about... but recently we had the Thunderbirds here in Atlantic City for the air show. I live within walking distance of the airport/airbase (if you do not mind a long walk) and I was surprised to see how "Small" the fighter jocks were.
At the time I'm talking about, a lot of military aircraft had height restrictions for pilots. I was too tall and WAY too skinny (think hunger relief poster child). At that time, you pretty much had to be a perfect physical specimen because there was just so much competition to get into military aviation. Now, not so much. A friend of mine's son is finishing up the initial T-38 syllabus and he's built a lot like I was "back in the day".
I was always into planes and still am. Wish I had known of this program when I was younger. Heck when my son is old enough I may force him to do it just so I can ride along.
Javelin wrote:
That's awesome! If Jr is still into it, consider signing him up for Civil Air Patrol (the Air Force Auxiliary). Most small towns with airports have a squadron and as cadets the kids can actually start learning how to fly aircraft.
Oh god no, not CAP. I've never met a flyer who did CAP, and every officer I've learned did CAP is a little...off in the head. Could be sample bias, but still.
Young Eagles is a great program. Make certain that your son realizes aviation is a great way to make a small fortune, provided that you start with a large one. Seriously, flying is a great job.
To Osterkraut
Some of our local CAP adults remind me of the Great Santini.
Osterkraut wrote:
Javelin wrote:
That's awesome! If Jr is still into it, consider signing him up for Civil Air Patrol (the Air Force Auxiliary). Most small towns with airports have a squadron and as cadets the kids can actually start learning how to fly aircraft.
Oh god no, not CAP. I've never met a flyer who did CAP, and every officer I've learned did CAP is a little...off in the head. Could be sample bias, but still.
Huh, our squadron sent three people to the Academy while I was in, including one who's an F22 pilot now. We also produced the first female to pass the Navy's nuke sub test. This was all pre-9/11, but I can't imagine that it's changed that much. Maybe you're by a wacky squadron? (We did have one of those in our region...)
I took an introductory flight recently where I got to fly the plane (not takeoff or landing of course) and it was AWESOME!!! Cool that kids can get involved. I am still hooked and still want to learn to fly.
Javelin wrote:
Huh, our squadron sent three people to the Academy while I was in, including one who's an F22 pilot now. We also produced the first female to pass the Navy's nuke sub test. This was all pre-9/11, but I can't imagine that it's changed *that* much. Maybe you're by a wacky squadron? (We did have one of those in our region...)
The local squadron probably wouldn't have anything to do with the CAP products I see. Like I said, perhaps an sample bias, but much like the stereotypical "homeschooled kid," you can often spot the CAP kiddos.
