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10
WING
SPAN
AUGUST
young flyers take
to the skies
Family Fun for all
ages at Doncaster
Aeromodellers Club
Doncaster Aeromodellers Club (DAC)
has been operating for over 30 years,
and has trainedmany young (and not
so young) pilots - some going on to fly
full size private and commercial
aircraft. Ian Puller, President of the
Club talks to the MAAA about the Club’s
success.
With younger trainees, a parent or
guardian is always required to be
present, and for many flying has
become a family activity.
The DAC field is tight, and is beside
a school sporting ground and other
public sports fields somembers really
have to fly well within its boundaries,
attain good skills, and communicate
clearly on the pilot line. They say if
you can fly well at DAC, you can fly
anywhere!
Successful flying comes fromaptitude,
attitude and plenty of practice. Some
trainees are quicker to learn than
others, regardless of age, however it
is conceded the youngsters generally
cotton on quicker. Because of limited
time available from the small number
of trainers, trainees who practice
regularly at home on a computer
based flight simulator generally
advance quickest.
Other important factors contributing
to training success are choosing a
goodmodel, and having themodel and
its gear properly set up. The expertise
at DAC, (like somany other clubs)
assists trainees to get it right, without
wastingmoney on bad purchases.
DAC has about six young trainees on
the go at themoment, mostly about
12-14 years old, which is generally the
recommended starting age, and also
the same number of older trainees.
DAC’s Stan Newell is 95, and has flown
for decades and still flies regularly.
Its youngest solo pilot is Andrew, aged
9, who attained his Bronze Wings last
year at the remarkably young age of
8. Andrew flies a 1118mmspan foam
ParkZone T-28 Trojan (there are about
a dozen of these at DAC), with his dad
Richard always standing behind him
as spotter (and to shoo away flies).
THE MAAA WANT EVERYONE TO EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF FLIGHT IN SAFE HANDS. AS
AN ORGANISATION WE REALLY WANT TO SEE OUR CLUBS ENCOURAGE YOUNG FLYERS.