The Haught Corner
Among the comments made about our January youth/beginner issue were several expressing questions about reaching out to youth and maintaining their interest after initial contact. "What do they need?" seems to be the underlying question.
This caused me to reflect on my own time "coming through the ranks" and there may be some benefit to looking at how I was helped.
My Dad taught me the basics of model building and flight trimming, but I developed interest in areas of modeling that were different from my Dad's, and as a result, there was only so much help I could get at home.
Fortunately there were other modelers around—partially through my membership in clubs—who were willing to show me the ropes in the new events I wanted to learn about.
The club-membership idea can be vital to any beginner, but especially to youth. Sure, some clubs are cliquish, but the vast majority are not; many welcome beginners of all ages with open arms. The camaraderie and encouragement from these groups—"don't worry, I've done that too"—can make a huge difference in whether the beginner's modeling interest is sustained when the learning curve gets steeper.
I learned a lot by observing those who had models and/or flying styles that I wanted to emulate. And when I got up the nerve, I would approach these people (at an appropriate, low-pressure time) and explain my interest. Almost without fail, a polite introduction and a bit of praise would elicit a favorable response to a request for help.
Aside from answers to specific questions, the one thing that helped my modeling the most was simply the time spent with older fliers who were better modelers than I was. By letting me "hang out" with them I was able, through a form of osmosis, to pick up on all sorts of little things that made a difference. Combined with my own nosiness and desire to learn, I couldn't lose.
There were so many questions:
- "Why do you like this design?"
- "Why do you use ABC hardware for your XYZ?"
- "How do you carve/shape/sand/form this or that?"
- "Man, I really like your new Super Bleener 485. Can I get a set of plans?"
And this was only the beginning. I was invited to go to a number of extra out-of-town contests with these guys for nothing more than a share of expenses (and when I was older, a turn behind the steering wheel); and I always had a ride to club meetings, although this meant that someone drove a number of miles out of the way to pick me up. This allowed me even more contact with people who could and did help.
Chancey Encounter
A landmark event occurred when I was about 16 years old; I crossed paths with someone who, like a favorite teacher, left an indelible stamp—an undeniable positive influence that is almost tangible.
Don Chancey was (and is) amazing. He had an eye for design like few modelers I've ever seen. He could take the parameters he wanted in a model and blend them into a championship design that looked great and flew even better, and wasn't too hard to build.
Once I built my first Chancey design (the Texas Bo-Weevil) I was hooked. I had lots of ideas, but was a poor novice designer. Don designed the models I would have, if only I had the talent! Over and over, I would look at something he designed and think, "that's exactly what I want."
The one thing that helped my modeling the most was simply the time spent with older fliers who were better modelers.
(And it was, too. I had tremendous success with Don's designs, winning national championships, setting records, and having a lot of fun in the process. His designs were a perfect fit for me.)
He was also a true modeling craftsman, and he combined this with an incredible ability to build models quickly. How could someone build so fast and yet so well?
And he was no "paper tiger": Don was a national champion in several events, set several national records, and was a World Championship team member in 1975. He's one of those people who is competitive in whatever event he chooses. A lifelong free flighter to that point, his interest in RC soaring grew in the late 1970s, and he has been Texas state champion several times.
But this is only part of the story. There were no secrets with Don, despite his success. He sensed my interest, and went out of his way to help me. Many times he would pick me up at a club meeting on Friday evening, and we would literally build models all night, take a brief nap, and go at it again all day Saturday and Sunday. Somewhere along the way we'd probably go flying for a while, if the weather permitted. Then on Sunday evening he would drive me back to my dorm (35 miles one way).
I learned so much from these sessions!
Just being around someone who did things so much better—and could impart what he knew—was inspiring. I picked up dozens of little tips and tricks that improved my models and my flying. I'll never be the craftsman that Don is, but my models were adequately built now. And in tribute to what Don did for me, my models feature the same red-white-black color scheme that he used.
How to help youth
So my answer to those who really want to help youth is simple: spend time with them at the flying field. Let them see how you do things. Answer their questions, and provide encouragement.
Take them to club meetings. Let them absorb the atmosphere around successful modelers. Show them, through your actions, how terrific our hobby—and people in it—really are.
Something as simple as a few low-key words of advice from a respected elder can go a long way. We don't have to constantly razzle-dazzle the kids to maintain their interest; once we have their attention, immersing them in a positive, supportive environment can help them in so many ways, modeling perhaps being least among them.
I was lucky to have a number of mentors like my Dad and Don (and Mike Fedor, Jerry Murphy, and others). I can never thank them enough for the time they spent with me and the help they so unselfishly gave. To help today's youngsters achieve and become the Delta Dart, it's time for some of the rest of us to follow their example and do some mentoring of our own.
Jim Haught Managing Editor
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
