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Zhang Haoyu, a 13-year-old in his first year of middle school and an aviation enthusiast in Beijing, won the first prize at an aircraft model creative flying contest organized by Boeing Co last year.
About 350 students participated in the contest, and 35 were awarded the first prize. Zhang said he took part in a contest to make the model plane fly in a circle, and he would like to become an airplane engine designer in the future.
"I was an elementary school student last year, and we had teachers guiding us in aero model-making. The contest showed me a rich aviation world, and there is endless fun waiting to be explored," he said.
Boeing launched its series of aviation science education programs in China eight years ago, and more than 90,000 middle and elementary school students and 2,400 teachers have participated.
This December, the aircraft model creative flying contest will be held at the stadium of Beijing University of Technology. In celebration of the company's centenary, the competition is named after China's Wong Tsoo, who was the first engineer ever hired by Boeing.
"The growth of the aviation industry needs the support of skilled people. We hope that more teenagers can learn aviation, know about the secrets of flying and consequently have their thinking inspired," said John Bruns, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' president for China operations.
"Our programs will lay a solid foundation to help children discover their aviation dreams, and will foster comprehensively skilled people for the aviation industry in China," he said.
At the launching ceremony of this year's contest at the China Science and Technology Museum in October, approximately a total of 100 children were given aircraft models, and many of them started to build and try to make them fly at the conference hall.
zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn
