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july
attract, educate & empower youth in aviation
Inside Who Knew an Old Cub Could Change the World YAPA: Connecting Youth Aviation Programs FMA: Doing Something About It
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Who Knew an Old Cub Could Change It started with a half dozen teenagers with a dream of flight and a 1953 Piper Cub project. The L-18C was built by Piper Aircraft for the Turkish Air Force. Several years ago when Turkey retired the fleet, Americans brought them back to the U.S. by the container full because they were cheap... unfortunately none of the planes had ever been issued a U.S. Standard Airworthiness Certificate. Mr. James C. Ray had purchased one of these unfortunate airplanes and donated the plane to SUN ’n FUN to be a youth restoration project. The project did not make much progress until, SUN ’n FUN decided to donate the Cub to the fledgling Lakeland Aero Club. SUN ’n FUN made a portion of the Buehler Restoration Hangar available for the club members to begin working on the plane under the supervision of volunteer A&P, IA. Mike Z. It was quite a project as a lot of research was needed to get the airplane to meet its original type design. All of the work and the research was done by the high school members of the club. On April 2, 2015 after 3 years, after school and weekends, the yellow L-18C named “Aunt Betty” received its first U.S standard airworthiness certificate. Since then teenaged pilots have flown that Cub from Lakeland to Oshkosh, twice. Mr. Ray, a long time philanthropic supporter of youth flying programs across the country, was so moved by the actions and dedication of these young people that
he decided to invest more in the club. Mr. Ray always insisted on all the participants having “skin in the game”. Every time he set the bar, the young men and women of the Lakeland Aero Club exceeded his expectations. All of us here will be forever grateful for his generosity and inspiration. Today, the Lakeland Aero Club is flying 3 Cubs and a Remos light sport airplane. Additionally club members are working on 3 pre-war Taylorcraft projects and a Xenos motor glider kit. The club has a 12,500 square foot hangar and clubhouse located on the SUN ’n FUN campus as well as a 2,000 foot grass runway at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. Two dozen teenaged pilots have flown themselves across the country in antique airplanes, from Florida to Wisconsin on 4 annual trips to Airventure. The day to day operation of the club is done completely by club members, aged 14 to 25, with limited adult supervision. Everything from sweeping and mopping floors and mowing the grass runway to restoring and maintaining the club aircraft. The adult staff and volunteers provide oversight and mentorship giving these young people the opportunity for hands-on experience. The students get a boost of confidence and sense of accomplishment for getting a task done right, as well as a “pride of ownership”. Today we live in a world where there is little or no shop class in public schools, airports have intimidating black
About AviNation AviNation exists to attract, educate and empower youth in aviation. AviNation magazine strives to give readers insight into the future of aviation by focusing on aviation students, programs, events and innovative approaches to the promotion and continued growth of the aviation industry. Serves as the official publication of YAPA.
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Staff & Contributors Publisher: Jacob Peed Editor: Jim Schill Design & Production: Lime Valley Advertising, Inc. Mankato, MN
Correspondence Editorial submissions and other correspondence E-mail: jppeed@gmail.com Phone: (515) 408-3763 www.avinationusa.com
Advertising Phone: (515) 408-3763 E-mail: jppeed@gmail.com www.avinationusa.com
the World?
fences surrounding them and a society that doesn’t seem to get the value of personal responsibility. There are few things in the world that require personal responsibility more than aviation. From pilots and flight crew to mechanics and engineers the key to safety is discipline, responsibility and a dedication to getting the job done correctly. We have seen first hand that when young people are given the opportunity, the guidance and the tools they will consistently excel. There have been over 100 young men and women who are or have been members of the Lakeland Aero Club, the oldest of which (none over 25 yet) are already working in the aviation industry as pilots, mechanics and engineers. They are eligible to be members for life. Hopefully, they will return in the future to support the club as mentor members. So we can cry in our beer about how bad this new generation of kids are and how the world was somehow better “back in our day�...or we can take the time to take a kid for an airplane ride or support one of the many fledgling youth aviation programs. Even better help get one started in your area, after all, it only takes a couple eager kids and a beat up old Cub.
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Connecting Youth Aviation Programs Aviators By Design (ABD)* was formed to reach and recruit our youth with a “fired up” passionate introduction, interest and entry into the world of aviation. Our goal is to teach the physics of flight through STEM education, aviation safety and experience the building of airplanes. As a country, we cannot hope to improve air transportation if future generations are not interested in the field of aviation. The future of aviation is dependent on engaging the youth with an interest. The ideals of Aviators By Design center upon exposing students to the world of aviation. All the activities and experiences with Aviators By Design are absolutely vital for us to help students identify their interest in aviation. ABD was created and founded on October 7, 2010 wanting to expose today's youth or what we like to call the “replacement generation” to the thrill of flight and the world of aviation. Our goal was to get them excited and passionate about learning more
about flight and aviation. Consequently, ABD began sponsoring Aviation Post 9868 and recruited students to start the program and begin building an airplane. This initial program is open to youth from the ages of 14-21, both girls and boys, and adult leaders. The participants are students from area schools brought together in an after-school program that involves building an airplane and teaching them S.T.E.M. skills about flight and it’s potential. We have graduated several members and they have been replaced by new students who have heard about our program. So how do you get your start and where do you go for help? Two great questions. Let’s start with how ABD got its start. I had observed Aviation Explorer Post 461 from Birmingham, Alabama build a Kit Fox with the intention to sell it in a sweepstakes and use the proceeds to fund further activities. I traveled with the airplane to airshows in Florida to help sell tickets and when we set up the airplane at a show we invited young people to sit in it. Then we got the parents involved by taking their pictures. It really engaged the kids and parents.
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This planted the seed in my mind but I wanted to have my program be a little different. The local Boy Scout Council office had done a career survey of the local county high schools and had come up with a list of 50 names who had an interest in a career in aviation. I sent a letter out to all 50 students inviting them to an introductory meeting about forming an Aviation Explorer Post. I had 6 students and their parents show up and we started our Post 9868. Then I had an airplane kit donated to us to build. The idea was to have the
kids build it, learn to fly it and then have an airplane for them to fly. There are no two Youth Aviation Programs that are alike, so a friend of mine challenged me to form an organization that would allow a platform for existing programs to network and also act as a place for those who wanted to start a program to get information that would help them. Hence the birth of YAPA – Youth Aviation Programs Association*.
YAPA
Mission Statement The Youth Aviation Programs Association Mission is to create a community that serves as a: • central resource
The PURPOSE of YAPA is to develop a "Youth Aviation Programs NETWORK"!
• unites programs
YAPA is established as a network of youth aviation programs so that we all can network, act as resources to each other and act as a think tank for what we can do better. It is meant to be a way to communicate and work together to enhance all our programs.
• shares resources and ideas that provide aviation related educational programs and activities to our next generation of youth.
It is also meant to be a benefit and resource for those who want to start a Youth Aviation Program that will be developed around the country. Social media will be used as the primary means of networking. There is a FaceBook page - www.facebook. com/YouthAviationPrograms and a website youthaviationprograms.com that will be used to communicate with others nationwide and connect into our smorgasbord of programs and ideas. You can pick the ones that would work for you in establishing your own Youth Aviation Educational Program or enhancing your current program.
• networks programs
The Youth Aviation Programs Association is a Worldwide Resource Center that is committed to: • providing pathways • offering an information roadmap offering support • tools and resources for groups, educators, and individuals interested in starting a youth aviation education program.
Some of these programs are kit builds, some are restoration projects and some don't even have an airplane involved, but they all have ideas that can be shared by all to make improvements on any program or the start of a new program. There is the need to create our own network because there are so many great programs with so many great ideas that all our efforts could never be put into one box and handed to some new group as the how to solution to setting up a youth aviation program. Rather, we need a network where any new youth aviation program could see all the efforts currently being done and then pick and choose what elements would best work for them.
*Both Aviators By Design and Youth Aviation Programs Association are 501(c)3 nonprofit companies.
FMA: Doing Something About It Do young people run from challenges, more interested in looking down at their phones than looking down on the world from the flight deck? How can a smart, enthusiastic, dedicated teen go from passive observer to pilot-participant? Recently, airlines in particular have noticed similarities in the skillsets between their pilots and musicians: a big-picture vision dependent on the smallest detail. Ability to play to the strengths of other team members. The strong leader who can pull through, even when someone misses a cue, reorganizing and refocusing and troubleshooting on the fly. Individual mastery plus the ability to coordinate with a team, the ability to work with others of different experience levels. Whether that’s in a band or on a flight, the differences are more in the techniques than in the concepts. The Flying Musicians Association (FMA) are pilot/musicians who enjoy promoting their music and their love of flight. Members brainstormed how to make flying possible for those who really could, and really wanted to, but just needed that… extra. The FMA Solo Scholarship program was born. High school band directors and music teachers, because they have long hours and years with the same students, often know their students better than other teachers. These teachers know well the characters of their students; many know their dreams. And they know which students have the smarts, discipline, and dedication to make it in whatever field they choose. And if that’s flying, they often know that, as well. So FMA approaches high school band directors and offers to arrange ab initio flight training, from zero to solo, with a local flight instructor or school, for a student musician who wants to make flying part of her or his
life. Recommend a qualified student, and FMA, through its donor/sponsors, provides materials, arranges training, and, after the student solos… FMA pays for it. Why only after completion? 1) to ensure that the student is dedicated and qualified enough to solo; and 2) to be reasonably sure that the student will learn how to pay for continued training. Bringing a student to solo who will never matriculate, is cruel, and it deprives another student the opportunity. Does it work? The FMA Solo Scholarship launched with a single sponsor, Sky-Tec (famous as the maker of lightweight starters), and single student, in 2015. Another year, another Sky-Tec sponsorship, another successful student. Rich Chiappe, Sky-Tec's GM, encouraged others to step up. Now (2017), FMA has raised funds through corporate and individual giving as well as HangarJams held across the country. Four bright, talented, hard-working students have the chance to learn to fly. FMA thanks Heavens Landing, Sky-Tec, Bose Aviation, Sporty’s Pilot Shop, MyGoFlight, Gleim Aviation, Aviators Hot Line, Banjo Ben Clark, Trade-A-Plane, 121five.com, The Auen/O’Shea Family Fund and the many members who held HangarJams, plus several anonymous donors. How to get involved: Sponsors make it possible. Students make it necessary. And Music teachers put it all together. FMA is the contact point. More: www.FMAsolo.org
Copyright ©2017 by Tim Kern, for AviNation. All rights reserved.
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Aviation Inspiration
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My name is Tyler. When I was nine I discovered a passion for aviation and decided to start taking flight lessons. My instructor encouraged me to join a program called Civil Air Patrol. The program has taught me the elements of an airplane and flight, respect, and discipline. Now, at the age of 13, I am ready to fly solo and plan to get my pilot’s license when I am 16. My future plans are to be recruited into the Air Force and serve for a few years, and then I plan to become private airplane pilot.
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I could not be more grateful for all of the people who got me interested in aviation!