Young Eagle exits a Piper Stinson with pilot Doug following her flight.
Mueller Elementary is designated as an Aerospace and Engineering Discovery Magnet school. Essentially all their classes have some aspect of aviation incorporated into their curriculum. Our EAA chapter, via Education Chairman Ron Blum, coordinated with the school to provide them with an aviation day.
Ron helps a Mueller Elementary student with his glider
Prior to the day’s activities, students participated in a ground school (taught by chapter members) within their classrooms during which they learned what makes an airplane fly. This set the stage for a hands-on half-day’s activities all students participated in. Those age eight and older took a twenty-minute Young Eagles flight.
Constructing a miniature wing rib out of balsa
Jabara Airport provided hangar space from which our activities were generated. About 100 elementary school students (age six through ten) participated in a variety of “booth type” aviation related activities. Those were: building their own wing rib, making a working parachute, creating a fold-up helicopter, reading a navigation chart, manipulating the controls of an airplane (AirBike), making a glider from a styrofoam plate and a flight in a real airplane.
Parachutes are made of plastic, string and a "candy" man
Chapter 88 members donated their airplanes, time and fuel for four hours taking over fifty children (and some adults) for a plane ride around the Jabara airport area. The various experiences enhanced the ongoing programs at Mueller Elementary.
Mike explaining the navigation chart
Patterns traced onto styrofoam plates become hand thrown gliders
A young pilot is helmeted and buckled in the AirBike
Jean explaining the AirBike's instruments and controls
Completing the paperwork associated with taking a Young Eagle Flight
Doug about to take a Young Eagle for his first flight
Two back seat passengers in Steve's plane are ready for takeoff
Paul D. Fiebich
EAA Chapter 88 President