Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

"How about teaching me how to fly Dad" I was almost stunned with excitment. He's 30 years old now and he's finally moving his family (GRAND KIDS) back to our area to be close to family with a good job. What brought this up was a friend of his got a plane for christmas and decided to try and fly it himself with the natural conclusion. My son told him about me and instructing and that he should have gone that route. So he casually brought it up and naturally I had a 2007 Tower catalog with me. During his childhood I was determined to teach him the way I did, c/l then rc and building everything. He quickly lost interest. This time, its however he wants to do it. He's an executive in a new hospital so I dont know how much time he'll have available. But I just happen to have about 4 trainers sitting around that he can use. Life is good!!!
Edwin

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

Boy can I relate. My son Al is 32. I taught him to fly two years ago and had visions of us finally spending some quality time together. Last year his nephew could not find a cub scout pack so Al volunteered. He is now spending as much time with the Boy Scouts as his actual job! He did promise this year we would do some flying. He will have the best intentions but I wouldn't bet on it. Hope you have better luck with your boy.
John

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

My kid and I started 10 years ago when he was 12. It lasted a couple years until he "discovered himself." He is finishing his 4th year now at UNM. His major may bring him back to flying later on and I'll teach him again if he does

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I'm buying a SLOOOOOWWW electric trainer for my daughter on her 6th B-day in late May of this year. Hopefully, she'll get as addicted as I am. One can only hope.

redfox435cat

The only way it'll work for teaching your kids how to fly is if he/she is enthusiastically interested, if they’er not then they just won't be interested, doesn't matter what hobby, from R/C cars, planes, boats, real cars, planes, boats, if they don't have a genuine interest no amount of coaching will get them interested and are just going it for you, in which case they'll end up hating it really fast. In my case I’m about half way through pilot training, My friends dad owns a plane and he got me into real planes. My friend was never interested in flying simply because his dad did it and had been around it all his life. My friend now shows interest now that I’m almost a pilot. As far as R/C both my nephews are interested but it not a genuine interest, that became apparent after I let them solo, then lost all interest after they soloed

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Oh, my little girl is plenty interested. I've already got her an electric free flight Cessna from Modeltech. One of those little foamy jobs with the rechargeable battery that you just toss and watch it circle around for about 2 or 3 minutes.

I can't wait to get her on a buddy box. She already knows what makes a flat-bottom wing generate lift and why it generates lift. AND she can tell you how a 2-stroke engine works.

Only problem is her younger brother is gonna feel pretty well slighted when he sees me taking her out flying and he has to stay home with mom. He's only 3 right now, but his time is coming. Maybe i can talk my wife into at least bringing him out to the field to watch and interact.

In all reality, he'll probably end up more interested in RC planes than she will. Girls are tomboys until they reach the age of about 10 or 11 -- then it's all make-up, shopping malls, clothes and boys. Boys typically are more interested in the mechanical stuff and engines that are associated with this hobby. Just look at the membership of your local club. Not too many women involved. I'd be tickeld if even one of them took this up as a full time hobby.

Here's some pics from my last kit build:

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

That engine picture is perfect . Gives me hope for the grand daughters, but they're still too young right now. He wasnt far from teenager when he tried c/l the first time. He likes to head for the shop when he comes over to see what project I'm working on. Since he'll be living in the area now, that might be more often after he's setup in his job.
Edwin

Josey Wales

My Feedback: (61)

Sounds great...my favorite words from my daughter were.." Daddy Im potty-trained!!" My son is only 2 but he "flys" all his toys..cars trucks boats !LOL

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

"Dad, I got the full scholarship!"

or if it is a girl:

"Dad, we decided to elope!"

Flak

My Feedback: (1)

Yep, I got my oldest son a ride in a Piper Cub at age of 9. He got out and said, "Dad, I'm going to be a pilot" so now he flies F-16's for Uncle Sam. He also flies R/C when he can. Youngest son is taking flying lessons and flies R/C. "Aircraft" is a BIG word in my househild. R/C Planes, (mostly Warbirds) hang everywhere and I fly R/C and full scale whenever I can. The field of aviation whether models or full scale is a magical rhelm. This is one place where INSPIRATION is at its highest level. Good luck in all your endeavours and Happy New Year.

weathervane

You guys give me hope.
My son is 4 1/2, he loves to fly on the sim. He is getting better, I took him out to the field and gave him a small lesson. He understands how it works, but he looks away and looks back to find the plane is not where he left it.[X(] One lesson at a time I guess. My daughter is 8 months old and I am sure there will be a tomboy in there somewhere. She will sit in her little bouncer for a good while and watch me build. All I can hope for is my son will stay intrested and some day my daughter will say "Hey dad lets go to the field" and hopfully not for the boys.[>:]

Andrew

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Well let him get into it the way he wants to. I just doesnt work if you try to cram it down their throats. Learned that the hard way. At least the seed was planted.
Edwin

Charlie P.

"I decided to pay my own way through college"

"I got a job and I'm moving out"

"I just got engaged to the son of the man who owns the Jim Beam distilery"


Well, the ones you heard are good, too. The chip off the old balsa block.

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Charlie,
Those were the ones I was hopeing for when he got out of high school. Oh well, money well spent.
Edwin

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

Taught both of my boys when they were 8 and 5. They are 30 and 25 now. My grandson is 1 and I have his first plane ready to go!!!! This is such a great hobby for dad's and kids. It sparked my older son's career: He is a flight line mechanic on v22's in the Marine Corps. It doen't matter what age your kids are, if your kids want to learn, teach them because it sure is a great way to spend time together.

Live Wire

When my youngest got back from Iraq ,
Dad lets go fly

Deathtrap

I have been teaching my seven year old son to fly.He does good but loses interest fairly quick.Iv'e found that he always wants to help me work on one or build one.It's so easy to find yourself not letting them help as much as you should.There's always something that you want just perfect and you'll wind up doing it all by your self not realizing youv'e just took all the fun out of it for your kid. The same goes for flying. When my boy makes a wrong turn or lets the plane get away from him or gets a little too much glue on something(they love glue)I just laugh it off because if I didn't have him to help me i'd have to ask my wife.

Hossfly

Congratulations, Edwin. I definitely envy you. Way to go, Man! Son and grandkids, all close by and wanting to enjoy the modeling sport. Would be an early Heaven for me. ENJOY!

jettstarblue

Man, I'm gettin' a case of the warm fuzzies all up in here.[sm=thumbup.gif]

rc-sport

My Feedback: (12)

My daughter is having a boy in May, I hope to someday teach him to fly and of course retrieve my planes when I dead stick.

Sessholvlaru

I have the opposite problem. I am 23 and have been into all brands of RC (planes, choppers, cars, boats, etc) since I was 6 years old. My father introduced me and I fell in love. However, my father died when I was 12. After losing my mentor, I fell out of the hobby for a couple of years, but have been back in it strong for the last 5 or 6 years. Still in college through, so I don't have all the toys I want just yet...

Deathtrap

My seven year old son & I flew today for four hours. What a day!! I think he done most of the flying though. My dad flew r/c ever since I can remember & he also died in 93' of agent orange. I didn't take up flying untill 2000'. I sure wish I had started when he was around to help me.We could have had some fun! I think he'd be proud to see us now. Like edwin said " The seed was planted".

mwick

I'm a Dad, but come from the other side of this equation. My son and I got involved in this hobby about 5 or 6 years ago. He took to it like a duck in water. I spent my time building, fixing, tuning, etc. and was having a great time. Many assumed, incorrectly, that I had taught him to fly. He is 17 now and has won 2 National Championships in Precision Aerobatics, but other things like girls, school, etc. are conflicting with our flying time. Time for me to learn how to fly.

My favorite words:

"Dad, let me give you some pointers."

Mike Wickizer