My kid is obsessed with flight. He spends hours watching videos of all things aviation. He tells me he’s getting worried; it’s hard for him to concentrate when he’s in school. All he can think of his how things fly… It’s almost driving him nuts. And it certainly takes a little patience and cooperation from me. !
Elihu can’t stop making planes. First, it was very sophisticated paper airplane designs that each flew with different characteristics. Seems he’s had his fill of that, and now he’s after the beauty of the silhouette. Spruce Goose, Antinov, DC 10, Piper Cherokee, whatever… These days he lives and breathes man-made things that fly. I encourage him and watch him in fascination as he leads me on yet another one of our life’s adventures. His current goal is to become the world’s first legally blind pilot. Sounds crazy, but if I were ever inclined to believe someone, it would be him. He is one focused little boy. And for him, his goal doesn’t seem crazy at all. For him, it’s within plain sight.
He’s making a giant glider now…
And it’s got a moveable rudder, too.
Some fly, some don’t. It doesn’t really matter. It’s the intention that soars…
The Hillhouse 
Those models look great. Being a legally blind pilot may not be as crazy as it sounds. There probably will soon be visual instruments that are so detailed and complete on planes in the 2020s (or 30s, anyway) that they will make long-distance sight unneccessary or redundant. In any event, there will always be co-pilots who can do the actual landings if “actual vision” flight is needed. Your son may very well have some wonderful opportunities in the future that one can only imagine today.
I don’t know it this would interest your son or not, but I have these two paper airplane kits that I got at The Goodwill a few years back…They each have 15 different paper airplane designs and everything you need to build them. The kits are called “White Wings~15 Excellent Paper Airplanes” and they’re designed by “Dr.Yasuaki Ninomiya”. The copyright says 1980 so they might even be that old? I suppose it’s possible they might be missing a plane or two but they look to be in mint condition. They look pretty cool too, all kinds of crazy designs. Apparently this Dr. Ninomiya dude was a person of prominence in the paper airplane world. I got them because another friend of mine’s kid was into flying things and I thought I’d bring these to him and we could mess around with them, but as it happened it’s been years since I’ve visited this friend and his son has long since grown on to other things. Anyway, if you think he’d like them, I’d be happy to mail them to you. More than happy actually because I’d love for someone who’s really into this kind of thing to have them. They need to be built and flown not sitting in my closet. And no worries if he’s over paper airplanes. I know how it goes. Just offering in case he might want them. Message me with your mailing address if interested. No reply needed if not. GB
I do not foresee a time in the near future when Elihu will be ‘over’ planes. He’s loved birds since he could speak, he beats his arms like wings whenever he’s happy… It may change one day, but it’s been a nearly 7 year obsession thus far… those planes of yours would have a most enthusiastic home here…
Well, I just thought he might be over the paper variety. ;~) I think he will like these and find them challenging too. Some of them are bi-planes and whatnot. So message me with your mailing address and I’ll get them in the mail asap, probably going out Monday, as I have a pretty busy day today. (mail@geneburnett.com) GB