Aug. 9—A student-built airplane is cleared for takeoff on its first public flight this weekend, following several years of flight delays due to COVID.
Work on the airplane, a Van's RV-12iS two-seat light sport aircraft, was recently completed by high school students at Manchester School of Technology (MST).
Following 10 hours of testing — including a test flight by Bob DiMeo, president of the Aviation Museum's board of directors, the plane is ready to soar.
Bob Hough, an Aviation Museum board member who spearheaded the build program, was at a wedding in Pennsylvania when DiMeo took the plane up for its test flight.
"He was in the air when they were playing 'Ave Maria,'" said Hough. "He called me from the cockpit and said, 'Bob, you have an airplane.' I cried more over that than the wedding."
The plane was built in partnership with the Aviation Museum and Tango Flight, an educational nonprofit. Tango Flight developed and operates high school plane-build programs in three states.
When launched in 2019, the MST/Aviation Museum joint effort was only the fourth of its kind in the nation, and the only one in the Northeast.
"I'm still getting my head around it," said Jeff Rapsis, the museum's executive director. "For years we've said the plane will fly someday. Someday is Saturday."
The inaugural flight is scheduled to take place following a ceremony slated for Saturday at 9 a.m. outside the museum, located on the east side of Manchester Boston Regional Airport.
The ceremony, kicking off the museum's "PlaneFest!" event, will include a water cannon salute from the Manchester Airport Fire Department, speeches, music, and a ceremonial cake.
"This will be a momentous day for the students who built this aircraft," said DiMeo. "Also, that sense of accomplishment will be shared by the Aviation Museum volunteers who helped the students, the faculty and staff at the Manchester School of Technology who supported them, and everyone in the community who donated and made this project possible."
"It's very emotional," added Hough. "Think of all the blood, sweat and tears, and the kids that worked on this and have it shut down by COVID. It's pretty exciting."
"She handles like a plane," said DiMeo. "They did a great job."
This is the first in a planned series of student-built aircraft. The program is designed to give MST engineering students hands-on experience in a range of disciplines, from manufacturing and assembly to aeronautical engineering.
The completed aircraft will be sold on the open market, with the proceeds used to build the next airplane. Startup funding of $350,000 was provided by local businesses, with organizers touting the fact the program hasn't cost the school district "a dime."
The Van's RV-12iS two-seat light sport aircraft weighs 771 pounds, has a maximum speed of 110 mph and a 100 horsepower engine that runs on the same gasoline used for automobiles.
"It burns about four gallons of gas an hour," said DiMeo. "I'm still getting used to an engine that I just turn the key and it starts...no elaborate preparation to get it started."
Jeff Sullivan, a full-time aviation Career and Technical Education instructor at MST, served as lead mentor on the build.
"It all came together rather quickly towards the end," said Sullivan. "It's a student-built aircraft, it's not built by the mentors. The mentors guide them, give them their skill set, then have them learn. I wish they had this where I went to trade school."
Saturday's flight ceremony is free and open to all. Attendees are asked to arrive no later than 8:45 a.m. to be in position for the aircraft's arrival prior to the 9 a.m. ceremony.
In case of inclement weather, the ribbon-cutting and other PlaneFest activities will be postponed to Saturday, Aug. 20.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Aviation Museum, located on the east side of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, will host a variety of activities to help young people learn about aviation.
For more information about Saturday's celebration, visit www.aviationmuseumofnh.org or call 603-669-4820.
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