The Big Bang

Today eight students visited RAF Cosford for the Big Bang.  It was a great opportunity for us to raise awareness of our Build a Plane project and to see the other exciting projects that are going on in other schools.  We attended two workshops, one from 'Science Junkies' a group who educate about the science of extreme sports and another about the best way to make a paper aeroplane! This included some information about the science of flight told in a novel way by 'Amelia Earhart' the first female pilot who went missing during an attemted flight around the world.  Overall an enjoyable day that has left us all with new and exciting ideas for projects.

Cosford Airshow

Yesterday, a cold and wet Sunday, a group of us visited RAF Cosford for the air show.  We very much enjoyed looking at all of the exhibits in the hangers including planes, missiles, helicopters and engines but the display we were most looking forward to was that of the students and teachers from Ercall Wood, a school who are ahead of us in the Build a Plane project.  They gave us some very useful advise!  They shared information about their experiences and triumphs as well as aspects of the build that did not go to plan.  Their help is greatly valued and we hope to visit them soon.  Unfortunately they could not bring any parts of their plane to Cosford due to transport impcations but we are very excited to see how they are getting on! 

The Air Show was brilliant and despite the weather the displays were increadible.  Our thanks and congratulations to the pilots, some of whom flew in open cockpit planes, most notably the turbulents display team flying D31 Turbulents.    

The Red Arrows performed in spectacular unison, and we were amazed by the unexpected agility of two 'dancing' Lynx helicopters.

Overall it was a great day even though it took Mr Wigley nearly 45 minutes in the traffic to drive three soggy students and a dripping wet Miss Krzyszowski from the airfield in his newly valeted car!  As we were waiting in the car two Tornado GR4 fighter jets soared through the sky above the car dropping bombs onto a cleared area of the airfield, startling us all with the loud noise.  So the day really did end with a bang!

*Pictures taken from RAF Cosford Airshow 2011 Website.  



Otherton Airfield Fly In

On the 28th May a group of students and staff attended a fly in at Otherton Airfield near Penkridge.  We saw a number of light aircrafts, including one like the plane we will be building!  It was very exciting!  Unfortunately due to the wind and rain a lot of planes were not flying but one commited pilot eventually braved the elements and took off so that we could see a light aircraft in flight.  We have been invited back to the airfield when the weather is better so that we can be taken flying!  We are hoping to be able to do some aerial photography and filming.

                                        This is the same type of aircraft as the one we will build.

NEW Academy announced as fith school to take part in the Schools Build a Plane Challenge

Our first trip was to the Royal Aeronautical Society Ballantyne Conference in April, at the headquarters in London.  This was a very exciting trip where we met members of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Boeing employees and students and teachers from other schools who are already involved with the project.  We were also announced as the fith school to be recieving a plane kit from Boeing!  The reality of this immense project really hit us when we saw a video of the kit being delivered to another school.  We need to make sure that we have lots of space to keep everything and that we devise an exceptional organisation system so that nothing gets misplaced!