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Rick Durden |
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| About the Author ... |
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Rick Durden is a
practicing aviation attorney who holds an ATP Certificate, with a type rating
in the Cessna Citation, and Commercial privileges for gliders, free balloons
and single-engine seaplanes. He is also an instrument and multi-engine flight
instructor. Rick started flying when he was fifteen and became a flight
instructor during his freshman year of college.
He did a little of everything
in aviation to help pay for college and law school including flight
instruction, aerial application, and hauling freight. In the process of trying
to fly every old and interesting airplane he could, Rick has accumulated over
5,400 hours of flying time. In his law practice, Rick regularly represents
pilots, fixed base operators, overhaulers, and manufacturers. Prior to
starting his private practice, he was an attorney for Cessna in Wichita for
seven years.
He is a regular contributor to Aviation Consumer and AOPA Pilot
and teaches aerobatics in a 7KCAB Citabria in his spare time. Rick makes it
clear he is part owner of a corporation which owns a Piper Aztec — because,
having flown virtually every type of piston-engine airplane Cessna
manufactured from 1933 on, as well as all the turboprops and some of the jets,
he cannot bring himself to admit to actually owning a Piper.
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Why didn't they do this before? That is the overwhelming response of parents
when they see the KidVenture tent in back of the EAA's Museum, at AirVenture
'99. The reaction of visitors has become predictable: The kids sprint from one
place to another, so excited they aren't sure where to start, as parents look
wide-eyed at an astonishing selection of activities for kids. All of this is
made possible by dedicated volunteers who obviously give a darn.
KidVenture is pure excitement for kids. For the littlest ones, there is the
chance to operate those pedal planes they have seen by the entry arch or in the
vendor booths. A racetrack has been set up for the pedal-plane pilots to
practice for Reno. Nearby is a full-motion visual flight simulator. There is a
constant line as kids wait impatiently for their turn to climb into what looks
like an open-cockpit Link trainer, and discover that the controls work and the
airplane can be pointed in almost any direction. The looks on the faces of the
kids as they "fly" the airplane are to be treasured.
Around the perimeter of the tent is a collection of famous and not-so-famous
sport airplanes now in the hands of the EAA. From a Prescott Pusher to some too
obscure to identify, each is open for kids to get in and try the controls. These
are real airplanes, not mockups. The kids seem to recognize this and rush from
airplane to airplane, eager to see what is inside the next one.
At the other end of the tent, kids get to try their hand at making Estes
model rockets with as much or as little assistance as they need immediately
available. Those more inclined to immediate gratification can make
"straw" rockets. Fins and wings are attached to drinking straws, which
are sealed at one end. They are then slid over slightly smaller straws. The
astronaut then blows as hard as he or she can through the smaller straw and
launches the rocket. Someone has thoughtfully placed various stars, moons and a
hula hoop on the ceiling as targets for the rockets. Happy pandemonium comes
close to describing that area.
A few feet away, boxes of equipment await the hands of children. From the
boxes, kids select wings, a fuselage, stabilizers and other devices to build a
glider that can be launched with a rubber band. Since there is plenty of grass
nearby, test flights and adjustments can be made with little delay.
By walking a short distance, each kid over 42 inches high can try his or her
hand at flying an actual control-line gas airplane. This is the real thing.
Helpers assist the young pilots as they turn counterclockwise and concentrate on
holding altitude as the airplanes whiz around at the end of the control lines.
For the smaller kids who may not be ready for all that, a play area near the
control tower is designed just for them. Surrounded by a white picket fence, the
area offers a model airport with toy airplanes and Lego blocks that allow little
kids to be creative. Scattered around the area are a number of toy airplanes
they can ride, plus an airplane bench and other aviation-related toys aimed at
the toddler set. For parents, the best part is that volunteers will play with
the children, and there are tables with umbrellas where the parents can sit and
have a little quiet time while their offspring work off a little energy.
An informal poll of parents indicates that the overwhelmingly favorite spot
at Oshkosh for kids and parents is the big KidVenture tent behind the museum.
The EAA has come up with a winner. If you have children, plan on spending a
significant amount of time KidVenture. You and the kids will be very glad you
did.
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