If puzzled by present options for your descendants‘ Christmas morning surprises, might I suggest a flying model. Regardless of their age, it may instill a lasting interest in aviation and teach them how to figure things out as they mature, if you’re there to guide them with focused questions.
The example given here are from my childhood and my continued hands-on model flying with my sons, and now, with my grandsons. (I’d include daughters and granddaughters if the Spanglers had any.) The key is to be hands on, and for the recipient of aviation’s gift to figure things out for themselves and, later, to repair the consequences of their learning experiences.
It starts with the ubiquitous balsa glider, often available free at aviation trade shows as marketing giveaways. The joy of finally configuring it for a long, steady glide is ageless, but the lessons can start when you’re halfway to 10. Every flight is a learning experience. When a flight comes to an unhappy end, ask the pilot why that might be. What pieces of the glider are missing, broken, or misaligned?
Questions are the key to building interest, curiosity, and problem-solving skills. If that glider moves through the air, what do you think the fins on its tail end do? Why is the slot for the wing longer than the wing’s chord. What do you think happens if you move the wing forward or back? Let’s try it and find out.
When these glider pilots reach their first decade, it’s time to add some power. Half-A, or .O49, is a good place to start. Stifle your personal remote control (R/C) technological wants and desires and go control line (CL). The important lesson here is that pilots can see their connection to the airplane they control. They can see the lines that run from the handle in their fist to the bell crank and pushrod that controls the model’s elevator.
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