Q&A with Lyn Freeman

Lyn Freeman, Founder, Build A Plane

AM: What is your background Lyn?

LF: My dad had a Piper Clipper when I was a kid, so I’ve always been involved in aviation in some form or another. I flew charter for a while, taught flying and flew bush planes into Forest Service strips. Ten years ago I became the editor of Plane & Pilot and Pilot Journal magazines until I left to work on Build A Plane full time.

AM: Explain what Build A Plane does.

LF: Build A Plane began on the assumption that there are lots of kids out there who would love to build or restore real airplanes, and that there are plenty of adults who would enjoy mentoring them. There are lots of aircraft out there which can make great Build A Plane projects for kids, so we solicit people to donate those aircraft. Build A Plane is an IRS-approved 501 (c)(3), so aircraft donors get a tax receipt. We turn around and give those aircraft to schools at no charge. And because having a real airplane in your school seems to really motivate kids to learn science, technology, engineering and math, Build A Plane is also working with some great partners to develop additional aviation-theme curricula opportunities.

For example, we’re currently partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and a wonderful CAD software manufacturer named PTC to roll out a national design challenge in all 50 states. High school kids will use CAD software to develop ‘greener’ aircraft designs, and the PTC software will allow them to collaborate on line with scientists and engineers at all 17 DOE labs across the country. Build A Plane is actively working to develop a variety of ways to get kids involved in aviation for grades K – 14.

AM: Build A Plane has a "formal partnership" with the FAA. What does that relationship entail?

LF: It’s been a wonderful relationship. The FAA helps us match up with schools which have an interest in bring aviation to their kids. As a direct result, Build A Plane now has a project where kids are building an airplane in an Eskimo village 500 miles from the nearest road in Alaska.

AM: Where do Build A Plane aircraft come from? How would someone go about donating an aircraft if interested?

LF: Donors can come from anywhere, and they do. Private individuals give us airplanes, Avemco Insurance Company has given us almost two dozen aircraft, and even the Smithsonian’s Air & Space Museum is giving us an aircraft. Donations come through our website, www.BuildAPlane.org. Click on ‘Donate an Aircraft,’ fill out the form and we’re good to go!

AM: There are no fees or charges to join Build A Plane. How does the organization survive?

LF: Like many charitable organizations, we survive purely because people and organizations are kind enough to support our efforts with financial contributions.

AM: Who are your member companies and what type of support do they offer?

LF: We have lots of fantastic support in the aviation industry. For example, Cessna is providing a group of their top engineers to develop the national design challenge with PTC and U.S. Dept. of Energy. And this summer, a group of kids will build a Glasair Sportsman 2+2 in a program called Two Weeks to Taxi. These kids will start and finish this airplane in just two weeks, and then the aircraft will tour the country promoting aviation opportunities. In addition to the wonderful support from Glasair, Lycoming is donating the engine and Garmin is donating the avionics.

AM: What are the benefits of starting a Build A Plane project?

LF: The biggest benefit to starting a Build A Plane project is creating a real world teach tool. Kids can immediately see why they need to know math, or how electricity works, or an internal combustion engine. You might not think of it right away, but a Build A Plane project also teaches things integrity. If a kid makes a goof in building an airplane, his mistake could ultimately lead to the failure of the entire airplane. So kids tend to take real responsibility for their actions. Our projects are not just to build airplanes but to build kids.

AM: Can you share with us a Build A Plane success story?

LF: We got an e-mail from a kid in Nigeria whose village had just gotten a satellite dish. He got to watch television for the first time, and thanks to the Discovery Wings Channel, became enthralled by aviation. When he wrote to us that he had been inspired to design his own airplane and wanted us to help him and his school build it. So we did. His dedication and passion was so remarkable that we were eventually able to get him a scholarship to leave his little village in Africa and come to the United States. Because of his Build A Plane project, he will start college in California this September to get his airframe and power plant certificate.