Introduction
Have a read to find out how Midtherm Laser Limited is helping local charity STEM High Flyers with their Build a Plane Project. Taking local children from the Dudley Academies Trust and teaching them the engineering skills needed to build a G-TLAC Sherwood Ranger ByPlane.
The Project at a Glance
When originally approached by Chris Hughes from STEM High Flyers, he explained that ‘some Year 9 students were building a plane’. I thought there must be a crossed wire, so I was amazed to learn that the Build a Plane project really is exactly that! The project involves three Year 9 learners from each of the secondary academies in the Dudley Academies Trust, and they are, in fact, building a plane.
The learners are constructing a Sherwood Ranger ByPlane, shown above, from aluminium, tube, wood, and fabric. The course is helping them to gain skills and knowledge across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Each student who contributes will be invited for a flight once the project is complete. This is the biggest project the students have undertaken so far.
Read more about the project here.
Midtherm Laser’s Involvement
While our contribution might seem small compared to the scale of the whole project, Chris assures me it has made a big difference.
Earlier in the year, Chris asked us to laser cut 200 small aluminium rectangles. The learners use these rectangles to practice accurate measuring using rules and scribes. Next they use tools to drill 3 holes in one plate then repeat the process on the other plate. These plates then have to accurately fit together. This simple, yet effective, lesson teaches the learners how important accuracy is, especially on a project like this. Many of the students had never seen technical drawings before, so this was more than just a practical lesson.
We provided these pieces free of charge, and Chris kindly invited me to come and see the students at work. We love supporting initiatives like this, especially knowing that these academies are local. These learners could potentially be our future employees.
Previously, a guillotine cut these rectangles, so they lacked accuracy. With the accurate laser cut rectangles, they can now start their learning with parts that match the technical drawings exactly. This helps them build confidence and learn skills from day one that they can apply while building the plane.
What’s Next?
We will be keeping in touch with Chris and the other members of the STEM High Flyers as the build continues over the coming years. Each time new learners join, we will support their efforts and stay updated on progress!
They even jokingly suggested I could be the guinea pig for the first ByPlane test flight……!
Video to follow soon!
