Struts 4U

by Anne Hughes

Sam exclaimed, “I like to see the sheep looking like clouds and the cows looking like zebra crossings…”, after landing on his Young Eagles flight with the Bristol Strut in 2003. The rewards for pilots flying with young people are as enjoyable as is the flight for those taking to the air for the first time, and in the 1990s and early 2000s many of the Struts were involved in the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles Scheme.

Launched in 1992 Young Eagles is a programme designed to give children, between the ages of eight and 17, an opportunity to experience flight in a General Aviation aeroplane, while educating them about aviation.

The goal was to fly one million children prior to the 100th anniversary of flight celebration on December 17, 2003. That goal was achieved on November 13, 2003, and was followed by an ongoing commitment of introducing 100,000 young people each year after that. The programme is offered free of charge with costs covered by the volunteers. The flights were often offered to children with disabilities and, in the case of the Bristol Strut, from the oncology department of the local hospital.

In the early months of 2001 much of the UK was affected by Foot and Mouth disease, which paused recreational flying in many areas. However, later on many of the PFA Struts, including the Swindon Strut, where half the children flown were young carers, Royal Berkshire Strut, Andover Strut and Devon Strut were able to continue the programme to the relief of the participants. Sadly the involvement with Young Eagles came to an end in 2003, but Andre Faehndrich’s ‘Young Aviators Day’ meets annually at Sywell involving young people in many different activities and giving them an opportunity for a flight.

At Bodmin, home of the Cornwall Strut, Feet off the Ground continues to give young people an opportunity to fly, and this summer is involved again with Bader Braves, an initiative offering support, friendship and unique experiences to children affected by limb loss or any other form of disability. Pete White is often to be seen surrounded by groups of school children at the airfield sharing his enthusiasm for flight!

Giving young people the opportunity to fly has become challenging over recent years for the Struts and other clubs and groups, but opportunities are still to be found in the form of scholarships. Following news of an award recently given to Amy Playle at RAF Halton in May, Mike Clews from the Joystick Club writes, “I have always been looking for additional ways to help the youth of today and encourage them to take an active interest in aviation. Historically this has, and does, involve attending events with Pedal Planes and Cockpit Simulators, however I have taken this to a higher level with the funding of a young person to learn to glide.

“The Joystick Club is providing all the funding to enable Amy to learn to glide with the aim being to achieve her first solo flight. Amy will train at RAF Halton with the RAF Gliding and Soaring Association. The formal presentation of the award was held in the hangar at RAF Halton.” Amy is pictured on the right with Mike Clews and Dave Scott (Joystick Club). Dave had worked together with Mick Boyden, from the gliding club, to find a suitable recipient of this award. Amy was signed on as a member of the gliding club that evening and was eagerly awaiting her first flight the following day.

As seen in the June issue of Light Aviation, Aviation Art for young people is a project we set up in 2017 which gives young people the opportunity to design, draw, and colour in a picture of aircraft. Until last year we sent the UK winning entries to the FAI’s international competition. A flight, funded by the LAA, in a light aircraft was the UK first prize. This year we have a change of focus and can be found busy with enthusiastic young artists at Shuttleworth’s Air Shows, where we are catering for younger children and using aircraft caricatures. Some Struts, including the Suffolk Strut, have joined in this initiative, along with the Guild of Aviation Artists, and families take the opportunity to engage in aviation activities and have fun!

The LAA’s YES Strut is well known as providing many opportunities for having fun and providing innovative activities, usually involving a lot of noise, at airshows and other venues. All of us who enjoy seeing the delight of involvement in the huge smiles on young faces are encouraged to continue volunteering and provide young people and their parents with another way into aviation.

We would encourage consideration of providing an opportunity for involvement with young people at fly-ins and other Strut events this summer. The excellent LAA activity booklet for young people, Airfield Adventures, is available from LAA HQ and is a good starting point for families at any event.

Finally, a note of congratulations to all who negotiated various weather systems to enjoy the Scottish Tour for LAA members and Struts. There was a little trepidation and much anticipation among those whom I joined at Breighton at the beginning of the tour and I, like many others, enjoyed following the story as the assortment of aircraft flew back and forth across Scotland. Having followed the journey via the internet it was good to be involved with the Friday Zoom ‘LAA Pub Night’ from Perth and see the view across the airfield. Well done to all the Struts, Clubs and airfields who hosted the Tour – and to Neil Wilson who kept his fingers crossed throughout! ■