Introducing my son to the joy of flight

[notmyC150v2]

Hi troops.

When my eldest son turned 10 I wanted to treat him to a special adventure with me so we could celebrate both the entrance into "double figures" of age and his growing relationship with me. I chose a deep sea fishing charter for the both of us and it was a fantastic day where we bonded as we both heaved over the side of a boat...

My youngest son is about to turn 10 and I have decided that because (like me) he is an aviation fanatic who desperately wants to grow up to be a pilot I would shout him a flying lesson.

Here is my query. Should it be an actual flying lesson/introductory flight which some schools may buck at given his age, or a joy flight with him at the controls and me as a passenger (which would therefore require a C172 or equivalent as opposed to an RA) which could last a bit longer? Am I mad?

By the way, the wife is not happy...

[RadioSaigon]

That's the wife's prerogative...

What about a glider flight? Cheaper, has all the elements your son is interested in and is not such a "waste of money" as a TIF/Lesson -let's face it, your son is only 10 years old!!!

[tinpis]

Dump him in a full motion Sim. Should cure it.

[Frank Arouet]

Take him gliding. He can solo at 15 and is a good introduction to stick and rudder skills which many lack when driving nosewheel aeroplanes. It's also probably half the price.

[Centaurus]

Dump him in a full motion Sim. Should cure it.

At $1000 for an hour it will cure you as well...

[Slasher]

Shout him an introductory flight - at age 10 he's too young to
do any real lessons, and too young to log it too. I had mine at
14 I think.

By all means support him if he shows signs of a passion for it,
but don't wreck his future by encouraging him to be an airline
pilot - its just a mugs game now. The golden age is long past.

[Unhinged]

Should it be an actual flying lesson/introductory flight which some schools may buck at given his age, or a joy flight with him at the controls and me as a passenger (which would therefore require a C172 or equivalent as opposed to an RA)

Definitely make it an intro flight - Two reasons: (1) It's a great idea at his age, and schools shouldn't baulk at it anyway; and (2) A joyflight with him at the controls and you as a passenger would be illegal unless he already had a GFPT, so best avoided ...

[Jabawocky]

Try here.........(if you are in SEQ)

Welcome to Sunshine Soaring

Have had my one and only gliding experience here. And it does have a tiny engine.....which almost makes me feel like its a real plane

[Wally Mk2]

DON'T DO IT !!!! Try & at least save one kid from the agony he'll face in the years to comein aviation Buy him a train set or a Mig Welder, the latter he can use when he's working as a fitter in the mines earning more than any pilot can dream of then fly for fun only, the smart way to enjoy aviation:-)!
Once upon a time a pilot took real pride in just getting there, now it's can't wait to get there alright, home that is!

But if you really want to keep yr son keen on aviation at that age get him into R/C toy planes, they handle/fly like a 'bus' anyway, the future of aviation



Wmk2

[JustJoinedToSearch]

Originally Posted by Slasher

Shout him an introductory flight - at age 10 he's too young to
do any real lessons, and too young to log it too. I had mine at
14 I think.

By all means support him if he shows signs of a passion for it,
but don't wreck his future by encouraging him to be an airline
pilot - its just a mugs game now. The golden age is long past.

Rubbish. I had a TIF and lessons up to stalling when I was between 10 and a few weeks and 10 and 2 months, all logged in my logbook, only did a 1 hour general revision lession (in a warrior as opposed to C152) when I started again at 15 and then continued with stalling.

Completely agree with the rest of it though, if the kid has the ability to have a good well paid comfortable life, do not let him get the dream of being a pilot. Once he's bitten by the bug he's pretty much doomed to a life of either getting pushed around, exploited, underpaid, offshored and generally stuffed around in probable poverty (just look at the US for where things are going), or having a 'proper' career and getting paid well and living a good life but every day, looking to the sky and never feeling complete.

It's a lose-lose. But if you explain to him from an early age that flying is for fun, not for work, he will find a love that will be hard to ever match.

[notmyC150v2]

Thanks for the responses guys. The Sunshine Gliding option looks very attractive, thanks for that Jaba.

Hopefully I will get my licence before he will but that is looking a bit further away every day . Maybe he can just take his old man for a spin occassionally in seven or eight years...

[Slasher]

....and lessons up to stalling when I was between 10 and a
few weeks and 10 and 2 months, all logged in my logbook...

How did you legally log those lessons JJTS, when a SPL as I
recall requires a minimum age of 16?

Maybe he can just take his old man for a spin occassionally...

The odd loop and barrell roll wouldn't go astray either!

[PyroTek]

How did you legally log those lessons JJTS, when a SPL as I
recall requires a minimum age of 16?

You don't need an SPL to start flying and logging hours AFAIK. You just need an SPL/Current medical to be sent solo.

[mattyj]

Well this thread shows what a sad state of affairs the airline industry has become

[Howard Hughes]

By him a seat in First class, now that is the joy of flight!

[JustJoinedToSearch]

^^^
Yep Slasher, SPL is 16 but you only need it and a class 2 if you want to solo not have lessons. SPL's used to be issued by the CFI of the flying school so you could get it on your 16th birthday but when they changed it to CASA licencing, the CASA system only puts the licence through at the midnight on the day i.e. If you turn 16 on the 20th they issue it on the 20th but can't print it out until 11.59pm+1 min on the 20th (i.e. the 21st)

So my entire life I had planned to solo on my 16th birthday but CASA's bureaucratic crap killed my dream. (Solo'd the week after though, weather stopped me from doing it the day after my birthday).

[Jabawocky]

The Sunshine Gliding option looks very attractive, thanks for that Jaba.

Despite my primal fears (only half that of Wally's) about the number of engines..... You or your son will be in very good hands with that glider crew. Nothing but the best for your young fella!

[notmyC150v2]

Jaba,

Actually he has been hassling me to get him into a glider but I was turned off by the distinct lack of an engine (Wally is at least half right, we can agree on that!).

That one ticks all the boxes. I will give them a call in a week or so when his big day approaches.

[JMEN]

Excellent!

I reckon go for the RA option, cheap, has the noisy bit up the front and will give him a real taste of flying.

If he shows the interest, encourage him, tutor him, but don't push him. I nearly made that mistake with my lad. I have seen far to many pilots that are there cause thats what daddy wanted, needless to say what they are like.

If he his genuinely keen the yeah do everything you can. He can start working now and start saving away.

To all that say no save him, the airlines are not what they used to be. Well a true statement the latter, but save him? Truck me, there is not a day I don't go to work look out the window and just say wow, what a fantastic job. Ok a little lie there belten around the bush in a ****ebox getten smashed by a cell, the thoughts at the time were different but the sentiments the same.

Take all the whinen and whingen out of it and what a truly great job we have.

[goldypilot]

Awesome. I took my first leason at age 13 as a xmas pressie from mum and dad. Have not looked back. 10 years later I am still loving it just as much as day 1. hat off to ya for showing another one to the skys