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Well, they finally decided to ask me last night. I've been waiting for this since last summer. Three boys about 12 years old live down a few houses from me, and they always play outside, and walk by the house. I thought they would stop in last summer to see what I'm doing, but they never did. I figured I'd let them decide to get up the courage to one day ask. Last night at about 8:30 I heard 'em walking by, and I could hear them sort of whispering saying to one another "Ask him!" "You ask him!"...Finally one of them just blurted out "What are you building?" I told them I was building an airplane. "What!?" "Really!?" I invited them in the shop to check it out, and boy did they have some questions!! My favorite question from the night was "Are those bullets?" Referring to the hundreds of clecos sticking out of my wings. I explained those. They also asked if my plumb bobs were bullets! Kids. It was one of those moments where I feel like I'm striking a chord with these kids to open their eyes to aviation. We talked about building models and RC airplanes, and they just couldn't believe that I was really a pilot flying real airplanes!! These kids are baseball fans and wrestling fans, so they wanted to know if I had ever flown any players or wrestlers. When I told them that we used to fly Steve Austin (Stone Cold Steve Austin-wrestler), I thought one of them was going to pass out! Funny.

Anyway, this is a little long winded, but I wanted to share this with you guys. I've been waiting for this chance to show these kids what I'm doing and maybe spark an interest in being a pilot one day too.

Excellent

Good goin' Chad. I do whatever I can to convert kids to the aviation cause. I find it's not tough getting the kids attention. What is tough is keeping their interest in this day of significantly competing interests. It's also very difficult to overcome the fears of the parents. Similarly I have a very good friend up the street whose wife (also a dear friend) will not let him fly with me because "he has three kids." I am about as safe a pilot as it gets, but that's irrelevant to her. She simply views aviation as dangerous.

It's always good to educate people about GA. More education means that people are less likely to think negatively about our "little planes." Surprisingly many of those with the most negative preconceptions are quite intelligent. A friend of mine who flies with me all of the time is a dentist. His professional buddies are all concerned for his safety because he flies GA.

Keep up the good work!

Antony

Cool...

It is great to get the kids involved! I have a couple of kids in school that are particularly interested. One who actually aspires to get his ticket one day! He will be working with me later this month installing a new electrical service at Thermos' new house in Boston and we will brainwash him some more then! Another flying electrician in the making!!!

Some of the neighborhood kids are interested too. They come by and visit whenever the garage door is up.

Chad, that is great!

CJ

Good job Chad. I have two of my own that have been really motivated to finish our plane. My oldest son (13) shoots a mean rivet. My youngest son (10) is in cub scouts and I do a lot to help out the pack. Since I am an engineer I was chosen to lead them in earning their engineering badge. Of course I turned it into aerospace engineering. I had the entire pack doing all sorts of riveting, on practice pieces that it is. I am also a EAA Young Eagle pilot so we are planing on taking the entire pack up this summer. My kids love to fly. They are already fighting over who gets to fly to OSH with me first(they have both been there in a 206). Whoever wins gets to fly there with me, the other will get the return trip home(my wife get to fly commercial both ways). They also keep telling me that they are going to get their pilots licence flying our RV-8. Guess I better reconsider putting in rear rudder pedals. Good thing I am a CFII.

Great Job Chad!!!

Kids that age are the future of GA! Any chance we have to get them off the XBox and setting their sights a little higher is a golden opportunity to change someone's life! (They may curse you for it one day!)

- Peter