A NEW charity, dedicated to teaching young people to build and fly light aircraft, is set to launch on the Island.

The Spirit of Vectis will teach IW youths the joys of building light aircraft from a kit, based out of Bembridge Airport.

John Cairns was inspired to start the charity after he saw a similar project have an impact on young people in Yorkshire, where they built a plane named The Spirit of Goole.

Now Mr Cairns wants to bring the same project to the IW, where young people aged 13 to 21 will have the opportunity to get involved.

John said: "In this project the aeroplane is not the star, it is a tool to achieve a target. The young people making up the team are the stars.

"The idea of young people building an aircraft will stretch the imagination somewhat.

"We will show that a group of willing young people are making a life for themselves."

The ambitious plan has already received support from many Islanders, from members of Rotary clubs, to staff at CECAMM who have volunteered to help develop the project, as well as provide facilities such as their composites department.

The charity will also take up to 12 work experience people from the college every term, teaching them woodworking, engineering, physics and more.

Mr Cairns estimates the plane's construction will cost approximately £51,800, as the parts are bought in stages.

John said: "To be successful we need to develop the techniques of encouraging the team to come up with answers — they need to believe they built the plane not the adults.

"We need to create a situation that, having identified a problem, the team create a solution.

"Instilling confidence is a very important factor as we aim to produce a well-rounded individual who will impress a potential employer with his or her skills, attitude and demeanour."

Once finished, the plane will be named The Spirit of Vectis, in keeping with its forbearer, The Spirit of Goole.

John said: "The unknown factor is how we can develop some disadvantaged young people and send them out to the world in a better state than when we started.

"We must also take time to exercise outside the workshop both for adventure training to develop teamwork further and help others in the community.

"My aim is to develop a group of disparate young people into useful citizens with a future."

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