Study Materials for Yung 'Uns

T

tinygiant

Pre-Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
66
Display Name
Display name:
tinygiant
All,

My daughter, 12, recently expressed interest in learning to fly. I take her flying as often as I can and she can't get enough of it. If any of you have experience with kids this age learning the basics, what study course would you recommend? Do any courses seem to translate better for kids than others?

Thanks,
Ed
 
The Eaa has material available ,for their young Eagles program.
 
So does CAP. It's not the greatest but there are some good things in there.

Google "Aerospace Dimensions."
 
Gleim has a free Learn to Fly PDF that covers the basics.

And if she does a Young Eagle Flight, she can get access to Sportys' Fround School product for free.
 
Thanks for the vectors. I'll start tracking some of these down and get her moving in the right direction.
 
It'd be interesting to find out at what grade level the FAA books are written...I remember reading the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge when I was about that age...

a lot of the soaring books should be especially readable at that age, since 14-year-olds can solo.

Edit...besides, kids will read well above their level if it's a topic of interest to them.
 
Last edited:
Get a model airplane. One where the ailerons, rudder and elevator move.
 
Last edited:
Batter yet build one ;)
 
Which one would that be? Id like to get a model airplane, not necesarily a flyable one, but one with moveable ailerons, rudder and elevator. One that would be good to look at while we talk about how airplanes work.
 
Lots of options, how bout a cub?

image.jpg


http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJ568&P=0

Building one up really teaches you quite a bit about aviation, learning how to fly it teaches you even more, plus once she finishes building it and finishes learning to fly it and "solos" it she'll be about ready to start flight training.

I wouldn't want to start a young kind in flight training unless they showed the dedication and interest to see a little plane through, as a CFI I've had a few of those young ones with rich parents, kids were kinda into it, but most lacked the follow through and mental development to really have it worth the hourly rate.
 
Get her Microsoft flight simulator. That's what I was doing when I was 12.

You know if she's dedicated and money is no factor you can just get her a King school course so she can just grab some popcorn and watch with you.
 
TK211X said:
Get her Microsoft flight simulator.
Click to expand...
hmmmmm.... not the biggest fan of this idea.....

Too easy for the young'n to view this as a game at this stage and develop habits that are expensive to unlearn.
 
AggieMike88 said:
hmmmmm.... not the biggest fan of this idea.....

Too easy for the young'n to view this as a game at this stage and develop habits that are expensive to unlearn.
Click to expand...

No that's completely false. Younger people have what's called "brain plasticity" Which makes it a whole lot easier to learn and unlearn bad habits. Being familiar with airspace and basic aerodynamics and procedures will make the training so much cheaper compared to the one bad habit that flight sim causes of keeping one's head down. That habit can even be minimized if supervised during play.

If it helps keep her interested in aviation there's no reason not to play flight simulator.
 
James331 said:
Lots of options, how bout a cub?

image.jpg


http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJ568&P=0

Building one up really teaches you quite a bit about aviation, learning how to fly it teaches you even more, plus once she finishes building it and finishes learning to fly it and "solos" it she'll be about ready to start flight training.

I wouldn't want to start a young kind in flight training unless they showed the dedication and interest to see a little plane through, as a CFI I've had a few of those young ones with rich parents, kids were kinda into it, but most lacked the follow through and mental development to really have it worth the hourly rate.
Click to expand...

Putting her in an actual Cub as much as possible wouldn't be a bad idea, either. I think the raw simplicity of a Cub and the absence of anything remotely resembling the screens she's surrounded by in her daily life will teach her aspects of aviation that may be intangible, but that are nonetheless invaluable.

Gliders would be a great choice, too -- and she can solo one two years from now.

Rich
 
I feel like a 12-year-old shouldn't have a problem reading the Airplane Flying Handbook. I think the PHAK would be better suited toward high school age...but it's cheap, she could certainly try it.
 
Thanks for all the help. She's been reading the PHAK and we go flying as often as possible, which isn't much as I get ready to retire. I'll look at the models and sims to see what interests her and start teaching the basic knowledge.

Thanks again,
Ed
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top