Warbirds & Schoolkids (An OSH Visit)

[Dan K]

During the last week in April I hauled some select 6th, 7th, and 8th graders and chaperons to Wisconsin for a few days. Of course, no self-respecting WIXer could avoid a run through the Airventure Museum while in the area.

Although Zack B. was off to the Mutual Concerns conference, he went the extra mile to line up fellow EAAers Chris H. and Max P. to give us the red carpet treatment.


Here's this year's collection of miscreants (I include myself in that description!).





Max making reasonably sure my son Josh leaves the gear handle alone. As this is about Mustang #4 or 5 he's sat in, I'm afraid I'll have to pony up for a ride before long to keep him interested.





Highlight for me was squeezing my overweight self into the Mosquito. My apologies for the crappy photography, but I was clicking away with someone else's camera in a space about the size of the average telephone booth. How the fellows functioned in combat wearing parachute and assorted ephemera is beyond me.












Mrs. K and I mug for the camera as Doolittle and Cole.






Many, many thanks to Zack, Chris, Max, and everyone else at EAA for making our visit a special one!

[Zachary]

Glad it all worked out!

[The Inspector]

Dan,
In those days 'crew weight 200 lbs.' meant with all your gear on not just you buck nekked and the average height of men was something like 5'7" and 125-145 lbs. not sure about British pilots but I would suspect a bit smaller and thinner.
Some of the Pathfinder troops who jumped into Normandy went aboard their aircraft with in excess of double their own weight in supplies and gear.

What was the overall impression of the kids to the EAA?

[Punisher05]

You lucky dog. Glad y'all were able to do that, and that you brought along some young minds to indoctrinate...er...educate. It really makes things come alive to them to see the planes in the flesh.

-Brandon

[Dan K]

What was the overall impression of the kids to the EAA?

The impression was very favorable! The EAA volunteers and staff are great. The museum's kids' area includes interactive hang gliding and hot-air balloon simulators that they couldn't seem to get enough of.

These are 12-14 year olds. In now my 26th year in education, rarely have I seen this age group not respond positively to adults who go the extra mile to make special experiences possible. Even something as simple as getting to go behind the ropes at a museum and climb in a cockpit is a gesture that they take personally and seriously.

Next month I'm hoping to get this same group up in the air with local free Young Eagles' flights--something I've been doing for years with students who complete an aviation unit I teach. I put pieces of aircraft in their hands--let them try squeezing some rivets through sheet metal like Rosie did during WWII--all in an effort to "set the hook" as deep as I can. I realize that not all of them will pursue aviation as a vocation (or even avocation), but maybe--just maybe--the next time a local airport referendum pops up, those in the aviation world can count on some new support.

Oh yeah, this same bunch of kids will be down at the local VFW on May 24 to help set up flags for Memorial Day!

[mustangdriver]

Dan,
It is always great to see you. Glad to visit and show the kids around. I really have to compliment you as they were really well behaved and very well mannered. It was a great time!

[JohnB]

Well done!It's always great to teach kids something and perhaps make a few future aviation buffs.

Nice shots too, good to see the inside of the Mossie.