When I first started teaching in 1991, one of my classes was a design course which was wide open regarding what I could bring into the classroom. We did a unit using those Whitewings paper airplanes which then went into building a rubber-powered outdoor flying model.
The class all built the same plane but were given the opportunity to finish it as they desired using various tissue paper and stuff.

I had a community volunteer come in to assist with the project. It went over very well, with John’s help and support.

Move forward now to last night, November 1,2024. Same man, John Marrett, age 92, holder of several flight time records in several categories. John and I met up again this past week and he invited me to bring any of my models out to a school gym where he and some other guys, all in the upper years of life, fly indoor rubber powered creations.

I took three of my old planes which hadn’t flown in many years, I had even forgotten about a technique needed to put the wound up rubber motor into the plane, so I chanced it & just put the strand inside to wind it up.

I should say that John and I ran a club at another of the schools where I taught for 20 years. During those & years, with John’s guidance, several of the students, all considered Youth by MAAC Model Aviation Association of Canada, set Canadian flight time records that are still on the books today! Alex Sues with a Mini-Stik (an 8” wingspan) nearly 5 minutes.

Lots of fun!