Years ago Model Aviation was a very important aspect of growing up! Neil Armstrong, the legendary astronaut, flew model aircraft competitions during the 40’s and 50’s and was a member of one of the US teams at the 1949 Nationals in Control Line Speed. He claims that his model building and flying activities significantly contributed to his interest in aeronautics and was a primary force in directing his education toward aeronautical engineering.

Burt Rutan (an American aerospace engineer most famous for his design of the record-breaking Voyager, the first plane to fly around the world without stopping or refueling, and the suborbital rocket plane SpaceShipOne) was recently quoted as saying:

“I can personally attest that the exposure to model aviation activities is a strong driver to encourage young people to consider science and engineering as they later make their career choices. For me, the exposure to model airplane flying and model competition was critical…Today we see numerous fields for sports like baseball, football, and basketball but few for model-aircraft flying. This is wrong, since there will always be more opportunities for future jobs in aviation, engineering, and science than careers in sports. A few sports heroes make a lot of money but they are not the ones who will change our lives for the better. ….”

Many others have started their careers in aviation due to early exposure to model aviation. This is an exciting sport, an educational and inspirational experience. It promotes teamwork and creativity. To remain at the forefront of the free world, we need to have air-minded people. Youthful exposure and involvement with model aircrafts, both from the building and flying aspects, will greatly benefit us in our future.

Unlike video games or radio control flying, control line model aviation teaches reality like why planes fly, how engines operate, how construction affects the flight, how to work together as a team , and most of all it teaches patience! And the allure is the horizon, the flight, and the pride of seeing something we create take to the air. Model aviation was a tremendous force for shaping and directing the lives of many youth. There is no question that it can be again.