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"My reason for writing these posts is to hopefully encourage you and/or your club to create your own youth program. I'm writing about our flying sessions with the kids to share information and give you a small glimpse of what it's like to work with a kids at the field. Hopefully you'll see that it's a lot of fun. Our program is not the best nor is it the worst, it's just one of many out there. So I would encourage you to find a youth program that you like, that fits your particular situation, and get started. Start small if you have to but start, and be sure to keep the kids safe."

Feel free to email me if you have any questions or comments about our program.

Tim Pease


HAWKS - Day 1 of 27 (Tuesday 6/1/04)


OVM club members pitching in: Wayne, Tom, Darrel and Tim.
Hawks students : Colin and Brian.
Weather: Nice but very windy

We had 1 student and two guests in attendance tonight. This wasn't too bad since it gave us more flight time to tune in the LT's. I'm particularly interested in how the new Fults nose gear and new fiberglass main gear are going to work out this season.

Colin has been using his trainer to learn instead of the LT's. This is working out good for him since his trainer is a little more acrobatic than an LT. We did a few landings but I didn't want to push it because of the wind. The flying portion involved flying in windy conditions, which he did fine with. Before we started, I asked Colin if he was nervous about flying in the wind. He said he often flies on the simulator setup with wind gusts up to 40mph. So I guess that answered my question.

Last years student, Brian, arrived while we were packing up but he did manage to get his plane together quickly and we got a flight in. He's also doing very well but has conflicts on both Hawks's nights. Therefore, we fly when we get the chance. He is not far from soloing. We also had two young guests that Tom and I managed to take up for demo flights.

While the flying was going on a few guys were starting to do the repairs on the walls of the pavilion. We lost the roof due to snow loading this past winter. So they shored up the walls in preparation for the new roof. Last winter was brutal.



HAWKS - Day 2 of 27 (Thursday 6/3/04)


OVM club members pitching in: Wayne,, Marty, Josh, Tom, Darrel, Jim and Tim.
Hawks students : Colin, Brian, Kaleb (the younger), and two guests.
Weather: Another nice but windy evening

We had another night of windy conditions. About the time we started flying with the kids Marty came out with a small grill along with dogs, burgers, and some sodas. So in between flights we ate. A short time later Colin's Mom went out and brought back some Pizza. Needless to say, we were all stuffed by the time we left.

There were quite a few people here tonight, about 10 to 12 club members. Several were working up a new roof design for the Pavilion. It should be up within the next week or so. The game plan is a peaked roof instead of a pitched roof. Strange isn't it, last year we built several flight tables and the pavilion and we still scratch our collective heads wondering know how we ever got along without them. They instantly became a must have. First one at the field grabs the best table. Then we all hang out under the pavilion, very strange.

One of our guys modified the standard "safety bench" found on the District2 site. I took down the basic dimensions of the new design and made a sketch of the "Roberts" bench. Maybe I'll post it for anyone who wants to build a safer, bigger, better bench. The "Roberts" bench is always the first one taken.

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