"You will teach them to fly, but they will not fly your flight. You will teach them to dream, but they will not dream your dream. You will teach them to live, but they will not live your life" — Mother Teresa
A day or two ago, my wife received a message from someone interested in finding ways to encourage an interest in aviation for their pre-teen son — there were specifics, but as I thought about a way to respond I thought that this is something that I would create here and share as a blog post.
Let me preface this by saying I wish fervently that my parents would have done the same for me! I grew up before cell phones, before Google, and before YouTube. Dial up was new, Encyclopedia Brittanica was a BOOK that we used since we didn’t have Wikipedia, and you had to use the Yellow Pages to find a phone number. I sound perhaps older than I am, but my point is — if your children are interested in something, INVEST in them because they don’t often have the tools to do it themselves. I wish my parents would have driven me to the airport (the small local one) and asked somebody simply what they could do. Because I didn’t know. Instead, I made paper airplanes, dreamed of things I thought I didn’t know were possible to achieve, and became lost on a path I discovered again later in my adulthood.
So, if you are a parent, congrats on taking your children seriously. I commend you!
The general path to becoming a pilot, age requirements, and guidance
YOUNG EAGLES - FREE DISCOVERY FLIGHTS FOR AGES 8-17
The EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) is one of the largest aviation organizations that exist, and they have a great program for encouraging aviation in youth called Young Eagles. They have all kinds of great resources and things that they do, Aviation Camps and more, but one thing that they do offer is a FREE DISCOVERY FLIGHTS for ages 8-17. This is a great way to have your child actually experience the joy of flight in a small aircraft and see if it’s something they truly want to pursue! See here: https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/free-ye-flights
GLIDERS ARE A GREAT PLACE TO START
There is no minimum age to start flight training, in airplanes, gliders, or helicopters. That being said, and my focus will be on airplanes, gliders are a great place to start. All of the skills transfer over to airplanes, and most people that learn to fly gliders have an edge in certain ‘stick-and-rudder’ (energy management) flying that will only make them a more proficient and safe pilot.
That being said:
- you can solo a glider at the age of 14, and get your glider pilot license at the age of 16
- you can solo an airplane at the age of 16, and you can get your private pilot license at the age of 17
Additionally, flying gliders is typically going to be a cheaper way to get started. The price of rental is much less… $50-100 hourly in a glider compared to $150-$300 per hour in an airplane, excluding instruction.
As I live in Arizona currently, here are a couple of great resources for those in the greater Phoenix area:
Arizona Soaring Inc: https://azsoaring.com — located at the Estrella Sailport, about 30 minutes drive south of Goodyear on a partially gravel road, or about 45 minutes from Phoenix by way of heading SE thru Maricopa.
Tucson Soaring Club: https://tucsonsoaring.org — if you’re in Tucson area.
Prescott Soaring: https://prescottsoaring.com — north of Phoenix, located in Prescott, AZ.
Gaming, XBOX, and MSFS
MSFS (Microsoft Flight Simulator) is an incredible simulation game that has been around since I was a kid. They just recently released the 2024 version and it’s incredible — amazing graphics, truly mind-boggling. I think this is a great opportunity to capitalize on your child’s interest: introducing them to a quasi-realistic side of aviation, but keeping it fun - literally ‘a game.’ You can also buy these same items outlined below for a computer setup, which is substantially more expensive (however allowing more add-ons and customization later… I would risk to say, more for true gamers as opposed to those really looking to fly), but as I personally just used the Xbox, I will make recommendations based on that. Plus, a lot of kids already have an Xbox as it is.
MSFS has actual training modules, to warm you up for real-life training topics and scenarios. None of this is bad, but remember that it is still unrealistic in some respects, especially as far as landings, takeoffs, and more complex maneuvers are concerned (you can’t feel the sensations, hear the sounds, the cold, the heat, etc) — but it is a GREAT INTRODUCTION and a fun way to play within the realm of all things aviation!
Myself included, I have used MSFS on Xbox along with many other pilots that I have spoken to as a way to practice things like Navigation, test-fly a new airport or region, and to practice procedures (checklists, flows). I think it excels as a procedure training tool, and this also applies to things like simulating emergencies. Fancy “chair flying” — pilots often will sit in a chair, with their checklists, and read thru items and try to memorize and become familiar with procedures. Simulation adds another element to make this practice even more efficient.
I never had an Xbox, and when I was the age of 31, going thru my IR (instrument rating) training, I talked my wife into letting me spend some money on Xbox and a yoke, rudder pedals, and throttle quadrant to help me practice and save money by being more prepared when I actually went and flew the plane. It actually helped a lot, and really, probably saved me thousands of dollars in the grand scheme of things. Since then, I’ve used it to practice all kinds of things ‘here and there,’ for multi engine training, and various other aspects of keeping proficient and practice. Plus a little fun.
If you are interested in getting Xbox Flight Sim setup for your child, here is a list I would recommend (ie this is the same exact equipment /stuff that I have — all links go to Amazon, no affiliate links… I’m not making anything off of your purchase if you decide to do so):
- Xbox Series X
- MSFS 2024 - Aviator Edition
- Turtle Beach VelocityOne Universal Flight Control System
- Turtle Beach VelocityOne Universal Rudder Pedals
- Mounting stand for above setup
And so….
Hopefully, if you have a child of any age that has expressed some sort of an interest in aviation, or anything that flies, I hope you’ve found this post at least a little helpful.
Take them to the airport, even if it’s just a dirt strip. Pack a lunch, wait and watch. You’ll be sure to find something worth the wait…
…and eyes to the skies!
— Stefan Germer
