Earlier in the week, Kato got a fantastic little wooden wind-up propellor plane, thanks to 1) a potty-related deal we made and 2) our friends at our favorite store in Chestertown, Twigs and Teacups. He was very excited to try out the plane, but after a few very unsuccessful indoor launches, it became evident that we needed some more space.
And so we called up Bob, grabbed the wagon, and headed down the street to the park. Alden insisted on pulling the wagon. Bob didn’t complain.
When we got to the park, Kato couldn’t quite figure out how the propeller worked. Bob did a demonstration.
Kato watched closely. It didn’t seem too hard. But the flight didn’t end up going so well.
Perhaps you can’t see what it is the kids are pointing at.
It’s Kato’s plane. Though Bob wound the rubber band up very well, the first flight launched up over his head, did a huge loop-de-loop, and got stuck way up in the top of that tree. I had to climb up on the picnic table and throw Bob’s shoe at it (he was the one who got it stuck in the tree, after all) to get it down.
We all decided that Alden really ought to do the next demonstration.
She was focused and careful. Kato, once again, paid close attention.
Even August, young as he is, took his first crack at flight school.
Alden’s flight was slightly more successful, though not as long. More of a commuter flight. From her hand to a local airport just 5 feet away.
All of this flying and crashing frankly revealed the sub-par standards of this flight school. August spotted some real flight specialists across the park.
After briefly considering whether it was worth transferring (and seeing Kato’s first flight go careening into his sister’s collarbone), August headed off with the experts.
Kato, deciding that he was getting too much interference from other “pilots” and “instructors,” found an empty spot to do some practice runs.
He discovered it’s just much easier (and gratifying) to fly a plane when you actually stick with it.
In the meantime, we tracked August down at his new flight school.
“What are you doing?” we asked, “what happened to flying?”
“The ducks said to start here,” he said. “Apparently, you’ve got to swim before you can fly.”
Well, alright. The ducks are the experts, after all.
