The AMA brass annually pats themselves on the back with a spread
in MA about all the kids they hosted for a day's taste of flying
model airplanes under their paternal guidance. Of course their
myopic vision doesn't reach beyond the multimillion dollar
complex they built for themselves with our money. Try setting up
a similar event at your club, and the gate is locked to kids just
as it is for any other non-AMA dues paying member.
I was at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh over the last weekend. One of the things
they do at Kidventure is let kids fly a 1/2A control-line trainer
hands-on. This is run by the same "old geezers" who enjoy flying their
"old designed vintage stunt planes" as taildrager put it.
Last year 2400 kids got a chance to do this, this year's totals
aren't in yet but it was probably higher. This year there was
also a demo of RC electrics.
There is still a problem with the light sport aviation: Once
a pilot gets denied a medical, they can't ever fly again. So again,
it's that FAA medical that gets in the way of anybody wanting to
be a full-scale pilot. It makes me wonder if it was actually worth
wasting the administration's time creating the category in the
first place.
According to the EAA, if you have been denied a medical, you
should get a provisional medical, let it expire, then you can use
your drivers license to apply for the sport pilot certificate.