Summer Aero Academy

[Ron Van Putte]

Wade Akle wrote:

> I have been following Ron's thread about going to schools for demos. 
> Here is our story (SLO Flyers). It is extremey successful and may give 
> you some ideas on how to reach out.
>  
> For the last 4 years our club put in a 2 one-week classes, we call the 
> Flight Summer Academy, at Cal Poly Institute at San Luis Obispo for 
> 8-14 year olds. We average 15 youngsters per class.
>  
> This activity costs about $250/each. The kids pay $100. The rest is 
> sponsored by SLO Flyers, Cal Poly, Industry grants (Northrop and 
> Boeing) and also AMA grants.
>  
> The kids are very motivated and learn building skills, basic 
> aero/structural concepts, mass/stability of models to optimize flight 
> times, fly control line every morning, and projects they take home, 
> culminating with Saturday at our field flying RC, and a day at SBP 
> airport getting a flight over their own town given by the Experimental 
> Pilots Association.
>  
> Several have become proficient pilots, though intermitently. Some 
> others we see afterwards from time to time, but they are so busy with 
> school, sports and growing up that they hardly have time to continue 
> in the hobby. Maybe later.
>  
> We intend to continue this activity until/if the kids stop showing up.
>  


Wow!  What a great program.  This is something that should be covered in 
Model Aviation so that other groups/clubs would be encouraged to do the 
same kind of thing around the country.

Ron Van Putte

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