Young pilots aim to inspire

The record-setting boys will talk to area youth at Smith Field event.

By Ryan Lengerich

rlengerich@news-sentinel.com


Kenny Roy found his passion for flying through a Microsoft flight simulator program at age 12.

At 14, the Long Beach, Calif., boy became the youngest black pilot ever to earn his solo license when he steered a Cessna 152 through the Canadian skies for 30 minutes.

Now, one year since that September 2004 flight, Roy will visit Smith Field Airport and talk to area youths about achieving their dreams.

He will be joined by 12-year-old Jimmy Haywood, who last year became the youngest black pilot to make an international flight, when he flew to Vancouver, British Columbia, from Compton, Calif.

Friends of Bethany, a Fort Wayne-based inner-city youth ministry, organized Saturday’s “Taking Flight,” event. “Our goal is to let the youth know that they can dream their dreams,” said Janet Scales, program director.

Roy, a soft-spoken 11th-grader, said by phone Tuesday he now has more than 100 hours in the air. He and Haywood train at the youth aviation program at the Compton-based Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum.

National media touted the young boys’ accomplishments and Roy said he speaks about three times a month about his experiences.

He plans to attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado before becoming a commercial pilot.

The legal age to fly solo in the United States is 16, but only 14 in Canada, where Roy made his historic flight.

Haywood’s feat was equally remarkable, a 20-hour roundtrip flight from Compton to Vancouver in a single-engine Cessna with a flight instructor beside him and Roy in the backseat.

Scales said the two boys will arrive in Fort Wayne on Friday (on a traditional commercial flight) and conduct a television interview before speaking at Harding High School.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Oooh-ra!

Anyone know the minimum age to fly in the UK? I could be up in the skys right now!

Solo is 16 for gliders, 18 for powered.
Emi is already well versed on British WWII aircraft, she goes mental with excitement whenever she sees a Spit or Lanc... in fact she has been this way since about 4 months! She also knows what the joystick is for, but we're still having some hand-eye co-ordination issues

Quote:


There's not set minimum age to start flying, in fact as soon as someone is big enough to safely operate all the controls you can start learning.

Solo as Andy says though is at 16 in the UK (not too sure about whoever had that idea - it was 17 in my day!) and you can hold a license at 17 years old.

Personally I first flew (at the controls) as an Air Cadet in a Chipmunk at 14 (10 years ago in December... ), and soloed on my 18th birthday on one of the old RAF flying scholarships... I'm also technically one of the few Air Cadets to have flown in the DHC Chipmunk, SA Bulldog and the Grob Tutor (Plastic pig...)

Quote:


Cessna 152 for me, followed by the second first solo (Tutor - only a year and a half after the previous), and most recently the third after 2 years off flying!

I know a guy who was in my ground school class back in april, who just got his licence a couple weeks before I did, he still doesnt know how to drive I believe.  I remember that during his first solo, his instructor was like "Uhmm.. do you even know how to drive?!?"  He was like "Uhh no"

I believe here that you can start learning to fly at 14, but you cant get your licence until 17.  I believe you can still solo though, im not sure.  I know you cant start driving on your own here until your 16 minimum (that which you get your licence).  But meh, Ive been driving longer then ive flown, and I think my driving is a lot worst then my piloting!

And man, you lucky guys got to fly dehavillands... I wanna fly a dehavilland!   

Quote:


im thinking of joining ATC what's it like