James M. Lewis
Armed Forces
Hi everyone,
Hope you and families are well. After texting with Brother Rackman, one of our fellow RC Helicopter pilots, thought about this and wanted to share with you one of my pet projects. In 2017, 2018 & 2019 I was teaching preschoolers at my grand kids school all about helicopters. Each session lasted about two hours with about 20 little ones (4-5 years old). Couldn't have done it without the teachers and my wife. Session began as a show and tell, then a short flight with my CH53. Heli has fully operational nav lights and the children enjoyed that greatly. Afterwards the kids got computer simulator time on a wide screen TV. In 2018 set up a coaxial bird for them to fly. In 2019 it was a pod and boom on training gear. Some of the children had trouble controlling the bird, so the next year switched back to the coaxial. While this was going on, the teachers wrote the names of the kids on the certificate of completion. After all the children got some stick time, it was time for graduation. Each child when their name was called, came up to received a certificate of completion and a set of jr. pilot wings. Plus a handshake from me for a "JOB WELL DONE". Just seeing the smiles on their little faces made my day. The covid pandemic hit in 2020 so we couldn't continue this fun activity for the children. Sure do miss them.
Hope you and families are well. After texting with Brother Rackman, one of our fellow RC Helicopter pilots, thought about this and wanted to share with you one of my pet projects. In 2017, 2018 & 2019 I was teaching preschoolers at my grand kids school all about helicopters. Each session lasted about two hours with about 20 little ones (4-5 years old). Couldn't have done it without the teachers and my wife. Session began as a show and tell, then a short flight with my CH53. Heli has fully operational nav lights and the children enjoyed that greatly. Afterwards the kids got computer simulator time on a wide screen TV. In 2018 set up a coaxial bird for them to fly. In 2019 it was a pod and boom on training gear. Some of the children had trouble controlling the bird, so the next year switched back to the coaxial. While this was going on, the teachers wrote the names of the kids on the certificate of completion. After all the children got some stick time, it was time for graduation. Each child when their name was called, came up to received a certificate of completion and a set of jr. pilot wings. Plus a handshake from me for a "JOB WELL DONE". Just seeing the smiles on their little faces made my day. The covid pandemic hit in 2020 so we couldn't continue this fun activity for the children. Sure do miss them.
