Volunteer mentors sought to help Farmington High students build airplanes

• Open house to be held Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at Farmington High School 

• Adult volunteer mentors sought to aid students in innovative hands-on plane-building program set to start this September

FARMINGTON, N.H.—Want to help local high school students build an airplane? 

Then you’re invited to attend an upcoming plane-build Volunteer Mentor Open House on Wednesday, April 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Farmington High School, 40 Thayer Drive, Farmington, N.H.

At the open house, you’ll learn about Farmington High School’s ‘Flying Tigers’ high school aircraft-building program. 

You’ll also find out how you can volunteer to help the brand new plane-building project starting this fall at Farmington High School. 

All are welcome at the open house to learn about the ‘Take Flight’ program, in which a team of students will assemble a two-seat RV-12iS light sport aircraft from kits produced by Van’s Aircraft of Aurora, Ore. 

No special skills are required to be a volunteer mentor. Training in basic workshop skills and procedures will be offered, and anyone is encouraged to participate regardless of background. 

Volunteers with experience in home-built kit aircraft, airframe and powerplant systems, aerospace engineering, metal-working, manufacturing, assembly, and related fields are encouraged to attend. 

Starting in September, Farmington’s ‘Flying Tigers’ plane-building program will run each school day for a two-hour block. 

It’s expected to take students two school years to complete one aircraft. Following FAA certification, the finished aircraft will then be sold on the open market, with proceeds used to fund the next plane build. 

Throughout the build, adult volunteer mentors play a critical role in guiding students through the steps and procedures needed to assemble the aircraft. Volunteers provide needed encouragement, coaching, and help students understand how STEM learning applies to the world beyond the classroom.

Volunteer mentors participate on a flexible basis and typically visit the workshop once or twice a week. Participation is flexible to meet the schedules of those participating. 

“Being a volunteer mentor in the Flying Tigers’ plane-building program is a great way for people in the community to bring their knowledge and experience into the school system,” said Jeff Rapsis, executive director of the Aviation Museum of N.H. “If it sounds interesting, we encourage you to attend the open house and find out more.”

‘Take Flight’ is a partnership between the Farmington School District, the non-profit Aviation Museum of N.H., and educational non-profit Tango Flight, which specializes in facilitating student plane-build projects.

Farmington’s ‘Flying Tigers’ program is based on a successful student plane-building program the Aviation Museum started with the Manchester (N.H.) School of Technology in 2019. Manchester students completed their first airplane in 2022 and are currently nearing completion of their second aircraft.

In September 2024, a second plane-build program was established at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, N.H.

Jeff Sullivan, an aviation instructor and plane-build manager in Manchester, will attend Farmington’s Open House to answer questions and speak about the project. Several mentors from the Manchester program are also expected to attend.

“For the ‘Flying Tigers’ student plane-building program, the most important quality we’re looking for in volunteer mentors is the readiness to join in an adventure that is making a difference in the lives of area young adults,” Sullivan said.

No local school district tax money is used in the plane-build program, which is funded by grants and donations made through the Aviation Museum, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The Aviation Museum is currently running a campaign to raise $250,000 in start-up funds needed to establish the ‘Flying Tigers’ program at Farmington High School.

The program is part of the Aviation Museum’s youth education outreach program, which aims to encourage young people to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace.

Mentors are regarded as volunteers for the non-profit Aviation Museum of N.H., but must follow all district policies while participating in a build. Volunteer mentors are also subject to criminal background checks similar to all school district volunteers.

“With the ‘Flying Tigers’ plane-build program just starting, it’s a great time for new people to get involved. You’ll get the satisfaction of helping kids with a memorable project, and learn a lot yourself,” said Rapsis, the Aviation Museum’s executive director. 

The Aviation Museum, based in the 1937 art deco passenger terminal at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, is dedicated to preserving the Granite State’s rich aviation past, and also inspiring today’s students to become the aerospace pioneers of tomorrow.

If you plan to attend the open house on Wednesday, April 23, please call (603) 669-4877 and leave a message with your name, or send an e-mail to ldearborn@nhahs.org.

“Volunteering as a plane-build mentor is a rewarding way to give back to the community, and help light the spark of aviation in people young and old,” Rapsis said.

“As a side benefit, volunteers become part of a family that can lead to new friendships and opportunities,” Rapsis said.

The Aviation Museum of N.H., located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H., is a non-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.

More information about the Flying Tigers plane-building program at Farmington High School is available online at www.aviationmuseumofnh.org under the ‘Education’ tab, and or call Jeff Rapsis at (603) 669-4820, ext. 401.