A Curriculum-Based Mentor Program
By Don DeLoach [email protected] Photos provided by the author
As seen in the June 2025 issue of Model Aviation.
Mentorship programs are nearly as old as model aviation itself. All of us started somewhere, with someone helping. For many of us—me included—it was our fathers passing down their hobby to us. For others, it was an uncle, neighbor, Scout leader, or other mentor. This one-on-one mentorship model worked well when many fathers worked in aerospace or other technical fields and model aviation was in its heyday.
In recent years, a new mentoring paradigm has emerged, that of the formal curriculum/team model. In Free Flight (FF), this has recently manifested in a magnificent biweekly program in Southern California—the National Youth Aviation Academy (NYAA).
NYYA is the brainchild of Tim Batiuk, a retired lifelong educator/administrator, and Sevak Malkhasyan, a younger engineer and Free Flighter (FFer) who was a recent recipient of mentoring from Southern California FFers, including Tim. Now nearly 30 years old, Sevak has found his calling as an exceptional mentor to the next generation of competition FFers. Both he and Tim are world-class fliers who bring many high-level competition wins to the table as credentials.
Sevak and Tim are also FF Hall of Fame members who had a vision and have seen it through in a short period of time. In less than two years, the youth in their program are flourishing.
Here follows an interview with Tim and Sevak, along with some comments by the youth and their families.
Q: Are you an AMA club?
A: Yes, we’ve been an AMA club since March 2024, and we are currently solidifying our nonprofit status to help us expand in the US.
Q: What was the goal of the organization?
A: The three pillars of NYAA are Teaching Aviation, Competitive Greatness, and Teamwork. The purpose of NYAA is to help kids develop higher-level thinking skills, develop resilience, and learn the importance of working as a member of a team to achieve a collective goal.
This is achieved through the fun sport of FF model aviation, where kids participate in STEM activities ranging from building and flying a Catapult Glider to successfully operating a high-performance F1A, B, P, or Q airplane.
Q: Has it met expectations?
A: We are thrilled with the results so far. The kids are learning so much and have reached a high competency level and are now delving into deeper analyses. Watching the growth of the kids in the program as they practice, take notes, make goals, and achieve success at each practice has shown us that this is an educationally sound program that goes beyond just FF.
Q: How many kids have passed through the NYAA?
A: We started training four kids and now we have 12 kids. With kids and families, we have 34 members and we are growing fast.
Q: Is involvement in competition the driving force?
A: With the ever-increasing competitive nature of post-high school pathways for youth, the simple fact is that, these days, kids and families have less time and fewer resources, and therefore choose to dedicate themselves to extracurricular activities with documented metrics of success.
Having a national points system that leads to rewards/recognition, such as individual competitions, national competitions, World Cups, and the US Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Junior F1 Team, is something that grabs the initial attention of families. As such, competition is key; however, it should be noted that, in our experience, after the kids start learning, they are hooked on FF in the best possible way—so much so that parents and siblings want to start learning it too!
Parent/Student Comments Cathryn Mah (parent)
Joining NYAA has been an eye-opening experience for our family. We had never even heard of Outdoor FF until we met Sevak and Tim in the fall of 2023. NYAA introduced us to the world of FF and welcomed us into the model aviation community, patiently teaching those of us who didn’t grow up around it and were truly brand new to it.
I think much of the success in the program stems from their approach to teaching. They taught skills that were progressively challenging, but also attainable, so that the kids could really experience a solid sense of accomplishment and growth after each session. There’s so much more to learn, but every day, the kids leave feeling successful and motivated to continue to grow and move forward. Getting involved in FF has also brought our family closer together. It is a bonding activity where we can all take an active role as part of a team unit.
Johnny Mah-Gersting (student)
NYAA has been such a great thing to be a part of. It has helped me bond with my friends quite a great deal, as well as kindle new bonds with people I have never met before. NYAA has helped me be a better person by building up my responsibility.
It has also taught me how to move forward in life, even with a challenge in front of me. NYAA is such a wonderful thing that has been created. It is my wish that more people join and experience all of the remarkable things that NYAA brings.
Reema Bharadwaj (student)
Being a part of FF didn’t just introduce a new and welcoming community, it has taught me many things that can be applied to my everyday life, such as critical thinking, crisis management, and problem solving.
Nina Alagiri (parent)
NYAA, through its mentorship and guidance, has provided our son with not only invaluable learning opportunities but also a deep sense of purpose. Its program equips kids with a strong framework to analyze challenges, solve problems, and foster personal growth. Along this journey, kids build meaningful friendships and lasting connections that will undoubtedly continue to shape their lives in remarkable ways.
Adith Alagiri (student)
Could NYAA be applied to other facets of life? I think being a part of the NYAA has allowed me to mature and become more focused in multiple aspects of my life. It has taught me principles of grit, focus, and mental resilience, all of which I have applied to my personal life at school, home, and in the pool [as a swimmer].
For example, when we drop a round in a contest, we’re often overcome with feelings of disappointment, hopelessness, and a crushing sense of despair at losing our one-way ticket to the flyoffs. But the NYAA has taught its members that when the going gets tough, the tough get going, and even though you’ve dropped a round, it doesn’t mean you’re still not in the running to win.
Likewise, as a swimmer, even though things might not go as planned, like your goggles falling off or you messing up your start, you don’t let that overcome you and you push with everything you’ve got because you never, ever give up.
Q: How specifically did you recruit the kids/families?
A: We recruited kids from Science Olympiad, the YMCA, Boys/Girls Scouts, and by word of mouth.
Q: Could NYAA be applied to other facets of model aviation, such as sport flying, RC, or Control Line (CL)?
A: The NYAA program model can definitely be applied to other facets of model aviation. There’s no magic formula, except for a couple of people with a vision who are willing to do the work to teach others and a core group of parents and kids who are committed to the endeavor.
You must have an organized program with directed activities to keep everyone busy and learning. Make every practice meaningful and memorable. There should be immediate feedback on practices while it is fresh in their minds so that everyone can learn and improve.
We started with the FAI F1 FF events (F1A, F1B, F1P, and F1Q) simply because you can teach the basics of flight through an FAI airplane. Additionally, FAI requires a certain level of commitment to fly it, resulting in recruiting families that are really invested in success. With the 12 fliers involved in the program, we have twice-a-month training sessions. There’s a certain excitement on the field when 12 kids are flying FAI airplanes.
We are now starting to incorporate various National Free Flight Society (NFFS) National Cup events, and we plan to attend this year’s AMA Nats. Other disciplines would also be logistically easier than FF because our work area is much more extensive. The kids can be scattered across a field, launching and chasing airplanes. RC, CL, and Indoor events are much more self-contained and easier to train in groups.
Q: What is the biggest surprise from doing NYAA?
A: In training young kids in FAI flying, we were surprised by how quickly and how well these kids, picked up the skills and competency to become world-class fliers. Many of them had never even seen Outdoor FF before joining NYAA
There’s a pervading myth that FAI is too difficult for kids to learn in a short amount of time. With the right instruction and practice, kids can do it, and they can do it well. We have seen so much growth in these kids—better focus, improved thought process and organization, expanded horizons—they have visibly changed for the better.
Q: What is the biggest surprise from doing NYAA?
A: I believe the biggest surprise from being a member of NYAA is that FF isn’t composed of purely flying and competition. A large portion of it is communication—the exchange of ideas and concepts—from one modeler to another.
Since joining NYAA, I’ve met hundreds of interesting people, from a new Junior flying Catapult Gliders to an experienced, multi-time world champion FAI flier. I’ve been able to develop my own understanding of FF with like-minded competitors and have also had the opportunity to enjoy the company of similar Junior fliers from around the world, such as those from Israel, China, Germany, and even from my own home team, with whom I was able to spend an amazing few weeks in Prilep, Macedonia, for the 2024 Junior FAI FI ABP World Championships for FF Model Aircraft, learning, flying, and enjoying the company of like-minded Junior fliers of a similar age.
Barely a year since its founding, NYAA has placed five team members on the USA Junior FAI FI FF Team. All were first-time team members who acquitted themselves very well at their first world championships. Most importantly, they grew as young people, refined their STEM acumen, and developed a passion for an aviation hobby that will last a lifetime.
SOURCES:
NYAA
www.nationalyouthaviationacademy.org
NFFS
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