Aviation Day Camp

Last week I helped host a Cub Scout Day Camp on the base that I work on. The Cub leader was interested in doing an aviation oriented camp so I offered my services and went to work setting up activities from them to do while at an army airbase. We were able to set up a pretty full schedule of activities in the six or seven hours they were to be there and from the sounds of it everyone had a great day.

About 15 scouts and parents arrived on the bus a little after 10am. I was still at about 7000ft  at the time (literally) flying my annual evaluation flight, but Bee made herself available to help out and directed the horde to their scheduled activities. First on the list was the helicopter simulator. The outside of the simulator looks like an ugly box on stilts but on the inside it looks like the cockpit of a Blackhawk helicopter and has all the buttons and controls you will find in the actual helicopter. It also has video screens in the windows so it looks like you are actually flying.

 Because there is not so much room in the simulator the scouts split into two groups and while one group was in the simulator the other was learning about aerodynamics and how a helicopter manages to fly from one of my pilot friends. He was really a champ for doing it because it was a spur of the moment thing with me still out flying. He enjoyed helping out and the boys were all very fascinated and eager to learn the neat things he taught them.

After the sim it was time for lunch, and that is where I was able to catch up with them. The kids each brought their own lunches but while they were all eating the cake showed up. That's right, A beautiful, fancy, cub scout shirt cake! It was the most fancy cake I have seen in a long time. A few of the Battalion staff pitched in to have a cake made by our dining facility on base. I did not know dining facilities made cakes like that! It was designed to look like a cub scout uniform, compete with patches and scarf. Underneath the thick layer of blue fondant was a two layer blue and white cake. Needless to say, it was quite a hit! Thank you staff for your thoughtfulness.

After enough cake and fondant to turn your mouth deep shades of blue it was on to our service project. The boys paired up, grabbed gloves and a trash bag and set off picking up trash along the main road of base. It was a good service project for little hands. It made the world a little cleaner and at the same time helped let our presence be known.

When we reached the hanger it was time to crawl inside a really helicopter. Because there was a ceremony going on inside the hanger the boys got an extra special treat in being able to go out on the flightline to see the helicopter. There was very little activity going on but still the boys got to wave at a jet pilot that taxied by while we were out there. And the jet pilot waved back in return. One of the crew chiefs in my company is also an eagle scout and was happy to explain to the boys what his job is, showing them around the aircraft and answering their questions. He really did a great job. The boys were also happy to put on my flight helmet and vest and take turns sitting in the different seats.

Because we had time after the helicopter we wandered over to the airplane "fixed-wing" hanger and the boys were able to climb into the cockpit of a C-12. After that it was back to the bus. All in all it was a pretty busy day and from the sounds of it each of the boys enjoyed his visit. It was a busy day for me running back and forth between work and directing the scouts but I had fun. It would not at all have been the same though if Bee was not there to help me out. I really owe it all to her for being a continuity piece for the group as they wondered about. She is such an amazing wife and individual! I know the scouts and leaders also really appreciate her service to them.