The Recreational Flying Aviation Awareness Program

[Admin]

I started aviation late in life and when I hear stories of "when my father use to take me to the airfield" or "I use to hang out at the aero club when I was young", I now realise what I missed when I was young. So I have asked Carol Richards to explore further "The Recreational Flying Aviation Awareness Program" in Secondary Schools, targeting years 7, 8 and 9. It is proven that when young people get into aviation at an early age, they either make a career out of it or, after they meet girls/boys, have a family, they come back to flying at a much younger age. It is hoped that we at Recreational Flying can help in fostering an interest in aviation, beginning with flying recreationally, with young secondary school students and then who knows what their future will hold. Carol is working on the feasibility of what we can do as a program and even hopefully get some funding for this initiative.

 

What are your thoughts...please add them here for Carol to read

 

 

[Bandit12]

I'm all for introducing aviation at a young age. My 11 year old is itching to learn after his first flight with me!

 

 

[fly_tornado]

RC model building/flying is an option, the Chinese are producing some ultra cheap gear these days.

 

 

[winsor68]

Good stuff Carol... I reckon if you could hash out some guidelines and requirements for how to go about approaching schools to get this sort of thing going it would be a big help. I have always felt it would be great to take a suitable aircraft to the school and set it up similar to what they do with petting Zoos these days...

 

 

[pudestcon]

My thoughts centre around what I can do to foster this awareness. What I would like from Carol is a procedure of things to cover when talking to young people about aviation, in particular our niche in aviation. I'm thinking that this could be in the form of a briefing before taking a young person for a joy flight, during the flight, and after the flight including where to go next. Maybe an understanding with a local flying school would also be appropriate - I hasten to add, not a commercial understanding, but one that would facilitate a young person taking the next step without it feeling daunting to them.

 

I would be interested in Carols thoughts here.

 

Pud