Over the past five years,
about 20 Young Eagles at Flabob Airport in Southern California worked to
completely restore a worn and weathered Aeronca Super Chief. Their goal:
to bring it to EAA AirVenture. That dream becomes reality as the group
flies the aircraft to Wittman Regional Airport to take part in the World’s
Greatest Aviation Celebration.
The Thomas Wathen
Foundation, headquartered at Flabob, purchased the airplane in 2000
after the owner’s death. Organizers then found an empty building in
which the kids could take on the project of replacing the rotted fabric
and wood and rusted steel tubing with new components to make the old
bird airworthy again.
The airplane was
completely stripped of fabric and disassembled. The steel parts were
sent out for professional cleaning and then refinished by the kids. The
adult supervisors from Flabob’s EAA Chapter 1 offered guidance, but
the kids did all the work.
Some of the kids
volunteered to help overhaul the engine. New wings were constructed, the
airframe was covered, and wiring, plumbing and instruments were
installed.
In addition to the
learning experience of restoring an airplane, a system was also set up
whereby the kids could earn flying lessons–five free hours after the
first fifty hours of work on the plane, and an additional hour for each
five hours worked thereafter. The experience allowed many of the kids to
solo, and some even earned their private ticket while working on the
Aeronca.
Art Peterson, president
of the Wathen Foundation Academy, also hosted a 12-week ground school
course for one hour each Saturday, bringing in guest speakers, and
teaching the kids not only about ground school basics, but leadership
and civic involvement as a continuing responsibility.
