MODEL AVIATION
TRANSFORMS YOUTH
Photos by Esskia Hastings; email: esskiahastings@gmail.com
ESSKIA HASTINGS (Locust Grove, Georgia) is extremely proud of her son Ayden Hastings’s journey in model aviation and how it’s transformed his confidence. Ayden has worked incredibly hard, and his excitement is contagious!
Ayden, who is now 11 years old, began flying at just 6 years old. From propeller aircraft, to EDFs, and eventually to turbine jets, his passion has always been clear. What truly stands out, however, is how this hobby has helped him grow.
Because he faces attention deficits that make it difficult for him to focus in school and in sports, he began to feel overlooked and discouraged.
Esskia pointed out that, as a parent, it’s hard to see a child lose confidence and feel left out, especially when other kids are laughing and enjoying themselves.
On one particular day, however, everything changed, and Esskia saw the joy come back to her child. Ayden received praise for his flying skills, and for once, he wasn’t told to focus more or try again next time. Instead, he heard, “Good job, little man. You’re a great pilot!” The joy on his face was indescribable.
This hobby has done more than teach Ayden to fly. It’s taught him patience, improved his focus, boosted his confidence, and positively shaped his attitude. Esskia noted that every club they have visited has emphasized the need for more youth in the hobby, and the Georgia Jets club in Gay, Georgia, (georgiajets.org) and its members have been instrumental in supporting those youth ages 10 to 18 in the pursuit of their flying dreams. “Kids are definitely the future of the hobby!”
Ayden was also featured in a YouTube video on the Model AV8R channel with his FMS PC-21 Pilatus when he was 7 years old: youtube.com/watch?v=HJId-QTCiOQ.
SHARE YOUR STORY
Do you have a high-quality/high-resolution airplane, helicopter, or multirotor photo that you are proud of, or a model aviation-related photo with a great story behind it? Email your “Viewfinder” photo and a description about it to jennifer@modelaircraft.org.
