We recently received a bunch of pictures and a great story from one of our most active volunteers here at the museum. Kerry Sim is a veteran pilot who has been helping out here in Concrete for a while now, and last fall he started bringing his 15 year old son Cameron along.
Cameron is a great help whenever he’s here and doesn’t just sit around looking at the airplanes. Every time he is at the airport he’s hard at work helping with the basic maintenance and learning about the airplanes. He’s worked on a lot of the planes here, but he’s really getting to know the PT-19. It’s really great to see a teenager changing the oil in a World War II trainer, and even better to see him going for a flight in one!
Cameron Sim changing oil on the PT-19
Since Cameron started volunteering, he’s worked on a variety of the airplanes here and seems to have fun even if it’s just inflating a few tires. Hopefully this summer we’ll see a lot more of him, and hopefully we’ll be able to get him flying a lot more too!
We would also like to see more kids here at the museum and if you know any students who want to spend some time enjoying aviation like Cameron does, please contact us. We’re in the process of developing some summer camps for kids, and will be sure to post our plans as soon as we have them finalized.
Here’s the story and more pictures from Cameron’s dad Kerry sent in after their visit last weekend.
One Boy’s Education by Museum
by
Kerry D. Sim
Since the word “Education” is a significant part of the name of the Skagit Aero Education Museum, it seems appropriate to recognize the participation and contribution of perhaps the museum’s youngest volunteer. At fifteen, Cameron Sim of Comox, British Columbia spent some time recently learning about the innards of a seventy-one year old airplane.
Cleaning the belly on the PT-19
When Cameron spends a few days with me it generally results in a trip to Concrete to work on projects at the Museum. His first hands-on experiences were in Sept. 2009 as he was introduced to a variety of basic aircraft maintenance items.
Mastering the dzus fasteners on the PT-19
It is now May 2010, and he finds himself once again working on the PT19. His assignment, help with an oil change, and removing, cleaning and replacing spark plugs on the PT-19′s Ranger Engine.
Cameron greasing the landing gear on the PT-19
And one final note: The next day, as I delivered Cameron to the ferry terminal to return home to Vancouver Island, he said; “Thanks Dad, I enjoyed this trip. It was really great working on the PT-19 and learning about changing spark plugs and oil and stuff.” For me, as somebody who has been around airplanes since I was a teen, it was a weekend to be remembered. Sharing time with my fifteen year old son working on a seventy-one year old airplane, not much in this life could top it.
I can’t help but conclude that this weekend experience of ours is a very clear indication that it – the word “Education” in the Museum’s name – is working just fine.
After hours working on the PT-19, some stick time flying the PT-19 for Cameron
Cameron and Jim taking off in the PT-19
Looks like they had a good time flying
3 Comments
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Erika Good said,
May 14, 2010 @ 12:20 pm
Truly inspirational for airplane-lovin-parents of teens! Good job, Kerry! You’ll never know where this will lead!
Mark Batten said,
May 15, 2010 @ 8:41 am
Bravo, Cameron and Kerry!
Kristelle said,
June 18, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
Let’s follow the adventures of Cameron as he gets more experience working on these aircraft. How fun it would be to have him write a bit of a blog about his time, next time! The younger voices attract others who might say, “hey, if he can do that, I can do it too.”