BONDING BECAUSE
OF THE HOBBY
Photos provided by Jim Newberry | jilexky@yahoo.com
JIM NEWBERRY (Lexington, Kentucky) and his grandson, Connor Newberry, are members of the Lexington Model Airplane Club (LMAC) in Lexington. “I love this hobby,” Jim wrote. “My grandson is currently learning to fly. It is bringing us so much closer than we used to be. He is a great kid and is loving flying. My heart is pounding with excitement, love, and appreciation.”
Jim continued, “I learned to fly after visiting an air show put on by the local AMA club back in the early 1990s. I flew for a few years, and then work got in the way and I stopped flying for many years.
“Shortly before I decided to retire, I again took up the hobby. I fly sport and, most importantly, scale models of historical significance. I fly a Balsa USA Nieuport 28, which was a French design and the first airplane flown in combat by an American aviator. I am currently building a Balsa USA DH-4, which was the first airplane built in the US and flown in combat.
“My grandson turned 11 in the spring of 2021. He ventures out to my shop and sees the many airplanes that are hanging there. He asked me if he could fly one and I said I would build him one. He is flying the Sig Kadet LT-40. He has flown roughly 20 flights and is now taking off and beginning to land. As much we both like flying, the love that we have for each other has grown significantly.
“He and I have always had a good relationship, but this experience that we are going through together has enriched our relationship so much. My flying mentor, Terry Booth, and my club trainer, Jeff Cummings, have been the support for me and my grandson. This is a dream come true for me. What more can I say?”
