SAINT JOHN -- A New Brunswick teenager’s passion for aviation is about to reach a whole new level.
Tyson Rodgers’ aircraft obsession began about two years ago.
“I’ve basically studied everything I can about airplanes and I’ve watched a bunch of documentaries about it,” said the 13 year old.
Tyson put that knowledge into action for a school assignment where he was asked to build whatever he wanted. Rodgers knew immediately he’d be constructing a Concrode jet replica.
The Saint John-area Grade 8 student worked on the project for about three months and received a top grade. Now, the assignment is about to leave earth.
An organization called The Blatantly Honest Foundation will be sending an Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lander to the moon later this year. On board will be a picture of Tyson and his replica Concorde, along with other photos of people from around the world. The primary goal of the mission: Inclusion.
“It was a foundation created for anti-bullying, which is something Tyson has gone through before, being bullied, so I thought that was a great program,” said Lisa Rodgers, Tyson’s mother. “If they’re at the moon nobody can look down on them, so that’s kind of the idea behind that program.”
The flight is supposed to happen later in 2021 and will launch from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
The anticipation of that launch is adding more fuel to Tyson’s hobby. The teen said he can envision a career later on as an aviation engineer or commercial pilot. Tyson’s goal for the moment is to have fun with the pastime.
“I feel like as a skill it would be mostly something I could show off for fun, or so I don’t get bored,” he said. “It’s also kind of like an entertainment thing."
Tyson said his next planned project is a replica of the Avro Arrow, a Canadian military jet introduced in 1957 and later abandoned by the federal government.
