A TOWN academy's ambitious project to build a fully- functional plane has got off the ground following the delivery of 10,000 parts.
Thousands of fuselage and tail parts, which will eventually make up a bi-plane, have been delivered to Goole High School.
The semi-acrobatic plane, which will take a year to build, will be used for flying lessons for students and others at the plane's eventual home at Breighton Airfield.
Every student who works on the Spirit of Goole project will get the chance of a 20-minute flight in the two-seater plane.
Year 11 students Katie Dennis and Billie Wilson, who are both members of Goole Air Cadets, are among the group of 60 students involved in the exciting project.
Katie, 15, said: "I want to go into the RAF as an engineer and the Build a Plane project will really help with my engineering skills.
"At the end of the project, we can also get a BTec in public services and aviation studies."
Billie, 15, said: "This project will teach us lots of skills, as well as the practical ones, including discipline, leadership and working as a team."
It will be only the fourth plane to be built in the country as part of the School Build a Plane projects.
The plane will be the first built in the region, as part of the Youth and Education Support strut of the Light Aircraft Association.
Work has got under way thanks to kick-start funding from numerous local and regional businesses, including BAE Systems and the Goole Lottery.
Fundraising is still ongoing to cover the full £50,000 cost, with anyone raising £50 or more given an advertising slot on the aircraft.
Students are being encouraged to join in the fundraising efforts, with the prize of a national private pilot's licence scholarship, worth several thousand pounds, being offered as the prize for the person who raises the most money.
Ex-RAF man Jack Milnes, who is the project manager, said the project will tie in with many areas of the curriculum, as well as offering extra skills to those students involved.
He said: "The scheme will involve geography, through the use of maps and charts and meteorology.
"Maths is involved for navigation and biology is involved through the atmospheric effect on both the pilot and the plane.
"In English, we have the creation of funding request letters and marketing resources and art is involved for the design of the plane's interior.
"However, above all, it's about having fun and enjoying the learning process."
Anyone who would like to make a donation to the project should email Mr Milnes at jack milnes@thespiritofgoole.co.uk or call Goole High School on 01405 768621, extension 345.
