Embedded with rows and rows of golden rivets, students and teachers had the opportunity to contribute to a landmark in McKinney ISD history. For the first time ever, the aviation program will soar to the skies in an aircraft they’ve designed themselves.

“We’ve always wanted to build a plane, but the opportunity was cost-prohibitive” Aviation teacher Jerry Ashton said. “This year, we found a program at one of the airshows. One of the mentors emailed me and said ‘Mr. Ashton, you got to check out this program!’ So, I called and called and called. Long story short- we are now the 14^th build of this entire program nationwide.”

The RV-12 aircraft is completely student built.

“I have had no participation whatsoever,” Ashton said. “We just help organize the kids. We have a group of mentors, who have actually built planes that help kids with instructions, but I have not touched this plane at all. Myself and the other instructors have only helped with the logistics.”

Junior Jacob Allam is one of the students involved.

“Not a lot of people can say they built an airplane in high school,” Allam said. “It’s a very neat opportunity, and I have definitely learned a lot of stuff. My favorite part has been getting to use new tools and learn how things are put together.”

Students from all three high schools have worked on the project since early November.

“Overall, it’s been a great project, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out,” Allam said. “There are about forty people in the class, but each part is constructed in build teams varying from 3 to 8 people. Some parts require a lot of people to build, while others only need a couple of people.”

Once construction is complete, aviation students will fly the plane at the McKinney National Airport  and at the Oshkosh air show.

“Currently, we are half way done with it,” junior Brandon Williams said. “Our goal is to finish it by the end of the school year. We all should fly it at some point. We do not have our pilot licenses yet, but we are working to get them. Of course, we have encountered difficulties, but that’s just part of constructing for the first time.”

According to Ashton, students have learned more than just aircraft construction.

“Someone’s going to fly this plane, and they understand the importance of it being built correctly,” Ashton said. “They are learning a lot about paying attention to details, following the rules, and making sure everything goes together properly”

The plan is to continue the program for years to come.

“Next year, we’re going to build another plane,” Ashton said. “After this one’s finished being built, we’ll also have one to fly. So, the students who built this plane get to take up to 20 hours of flight instruction. And then, the third year, we will sell the first plane, which will purchase the kit for the next plane. So, it’ll be an ongoing, self-perpetuating, self-paying program.”

Although he won’t get to help with next year’s project, Senior Nathaniel Graves is happy to have helped out this year.

“It’s cool that we’re the first group of people to do something like this,” Graves said. “I’ve been hoping for something like this since I enrolled in the class as a sophomore, and I’m so glad to be doing it my senior year. I can’t wait till I can put my name on the side of it. Aviation is the most amazing class in the world, and everyone needs to be a part of it.”