The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and Boeing’s ‘Schools Build a Plane Challenge’ aims to educate and inspire school children, through a practical challenge to manufacture and fly a light aircraft. The programme launched as a national competition in early 2009 with the first 2 lead schools being the Yateley School near Farnborough and the Marling School of Stroud. The challenge promotes air-mindedness in young people aged between 14 and 18.

The application process for the 2010 competition is underway with the 2 winning teams being announced at the Ballantyne lecture on 26th March. In order to be successful schools will have to demonstrate amongst other key criteria how they will manage the project and deliver it on time whilst ensuring the widest possible educational benefit.

The Light Aircraft Association is playing a pivotal role in the project, training the school children involved, as well as ensuring the build conforms with engineering regulations and flight certifications. Boeing experts as well and regional branch members of the RAeS are also on-hand to act in a mentoring capacity during the build process and a variety of visits have been conducted in support of the broader educational benefits associated with the project.

Sir Roger Bone, president, Boeing UK, commented: “Boeing is committed in the UK as well as on a global basis to ensuring student success through teacher development and improving school leadership as well as, on the broadest possible basis and in line with the national curriculum, encouraging interest in aviation and aerospace. This project will directly engage young people and their teachers with the practical elements of science, technology and engineering in a fun and inspiring way.”

As with all aviation projects there will be focus on the commercial arrangements with the successful schools being expected to play a role in marketing aircraft before its sale. The funds raised from the sale will be reinvested in the project, enabling other schools to take part in the scheme. The schools will be expected to maintain a video diary of the project and document their experience in order to help successive schools taking part in the challenge.

Click here for a presentation outlining the ’Schools Build a Plane Challenge’.