Museum Kids & Young Adults

 

 

The Port Townsend Aero Museum places a  special emphasis on our programs involving the inclusion of youth and young adults who are seeking a place to connect to an adult society.  Everyday we conduct  youth-oriented apprentice training in antique aircraft maintenance, restoration and operation. Youth and young adults from Eagle Scouts to those performing court ordered community service find a place to belong.  The apprentice program provides discipline, hard work, skills in aircraft restoration and flight training for an initial license. Our programs also provide  intergenerational mentoring opportunities for adults. Volunteers range in age from 12 to 65.  Older craftsman serve as mentors teaching welding, fabric covering, woodwork, sheet metal, wiring, plumbing, aircraft systems, weight and balance, and aerodynamics skills.  All apprentice training includes basic stick and rudder flight training and is available to teen volunteers at no cost.

 

Most of those involved in the apprenticeship program as volunteers come from Jefferson, Clallam, or Kitsap County areas of Washington state.  Below  you will find a few pictures of our young volunteers. Their home towns are listed below their names.  Some in the photos below are still working with us, while many of them have left us for college or careers. 

 

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Luke Jensen working on a Lycoming R680.
Bainbridge Island, WA

Matt Chaussee working on 1931 Student Prince.
Kingston, WA

Kevin Vogel rib stitches the Belanca.
Sequim, WA

 

Nick Izer working on fabric wing

Christopher Hanke working with fabric

Nikolas Hayes on the Student Prince

 

Max Fleischfresser working with Poly Fiber Covering.
Bainbridge Island, WA

Paul Paskell taping a 1930's Student Prince wing.
Bainbridge Island, WA

Emily Bahr installing a fabric patch on a Volmer Jensen wing.
Issaquah, WA

 

Jordan Browning completes an annual inspection on our 8A.
Port Townsend, WA

Gib Hanson fabricating a windshield for a 1931 Student Prince biplane.
Port Hadlock, WA

Danika and Evan Winter recovering a Champ 7AC.
Sequim, WA

 

Matthew Vogel pre-flight inspecting the 7AC Champ.
Sequim, WA

Tony Mattoiti stitches up an aileron for a Piper Super Cub.
Bainbridge Island, WA

Kyle finishing up a paint job.
Baltimore, MD

 

Jake Thibeault taking time for a picture in front of the museum's Luscombe 8A.
Kingston, WA

Joe Johnson polishing up our 7AC.
Port Townsend, WA

  

Jessy Eckstein working on a Starduster Too.
Chimacum, WA

 

 

Chas Holden rib stitching an elevator from a 1943 Howard DGA.
Washington, D.C.

Michael Staley and Ron Lee taping the horizontal from a 1943 Howard DGA.

Aaron restoring a non-airworthy propeller blade for display.

 

 

Andrew Bartlett shrinks the new covering.
Port Townsend, WA

Kay Maris  and grand-daughter Jenny Maris repair a wing.
Buckley, WA

    

Garrett Steele helps Kevin Vogle tie down a donated load.
Kingston, WA

 

Theo Prins rubbing out an Aeronca Tail.
Port Townsend, WA

Paul Cole prepares for a flight in the 7AC.
Chimacum, WA

Brandon Fletcher working on our J3 Cub.
Port Townsend, WA

 

Charles Stanton repairs a wing rib.
Seattle, WA

Kyle Nyberg installs new trim on a 7AC Champ.
Bainbridge Island, WA

Casey Hanson  props one of the Aeronca 7ACs.
Port Townsend, WA

 

Steffani Johnson prepares an elevator for fabric.
Port Townsend, WA

Chad Rabinowitz using Poly-Tak to attach fabric on a 1943 Howard DGA.
Bainbridge Island, WA

Evan (Fuzzy) Kuester and Kyle Nyberg working on our Aeronca 7AC.
Bainbridge Island, WA

 

Matt Gentner covering wing struts for our 1935 DeHavilland Queen Bee.

Darius Kajin and Jay Summer restoring a pair of antique aircraft skis.

Michael Grace preps the Howard DGA fuselage for silver.
Chimacum, WA

 

Mitchell Hubbard finishing up a PA12 contract job.
Chimacum, WA

Doug Vogel fitting baffles on our "new" Aeronca 7AC Champ.
Poulsbo, WA

John working on the wing rib stitching of a PA18.
New York, NY

 

Nigel touching up our Bleriot XI replica.
Omaha, NE

Ben and Mike crimping a fuselage cable on our Bleriot replica.