Over the last couple of weeks, pupils at Oundle have begun work on an ambitious engineering project that will see them build a two-seater aircraft over the course of the next academic year.
Named Spirit of Oundle, the build forms part of the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Patrick Engineering Centre and offers pupils the opportunity to contribute to a genuine aviation engineering project from its earliest stages through to completion.
Pupil involvement will span several groups. Fifth Form pupils began the first phase during Post GCSE Activity Week, followed by Lower Sixth pupils through their extension programme. Over the 2026/27 academic year, DET Scholars will continue to contribute, alongside a wider cohort taking part through a dedicated aviation elective. This staged involvement allows for broad participation while ensuring each phase is carefully supervised and aligned with pupils’ skills and experience.
The project reflects something distinctive about life in the Patrick Engineering Centre. Every week, pupils choose to spend time designing, building, repairing and experimenting. Younger pupils might be found working on robotics, drone construction, radio engineering or creative design projects, while older pupils take on increasingly complex challenges, from vehicle restoration and engine rebuilds to bespoke fabrication work. The Spirit of Oundle project represents a natural extension of that culture: ambitious, practical and firmly rooted in learning through doing.
The aircraft has been generously supplied to the School by the Youth Education and Support (YES) charity. Throughout the build, pupils will work alongside staff and specialists from the Light Aircraft Association (LAA), gaining insight into the standards, processes and regulations that underpin the aviation industry. Every stage of the project will be overseen by a dedicated LAA engineer, with each component, fitting and installation checked and signed off throughout the build.
This gives pupils a rare opportunity to experience the realities of professional engineering, where technical skill is matched by precision, accountability and a rigorous commitment to safety.
Scheduled for completion in June 2027, the project will provide pupils with the opportunity to contribute to something substantial and lasting while developing technical skills, confidence and experience through a real-world engineering challenge. Should the aircraft successfully complete its testing and approval process, pupils who have contributed to the project will also be offered the opportunity to experience a flight with a qualified pilot.
More than anything, the Spirit of Oundle project embodies the approach to learning that has long defined the Patrick Engineering Centre: curiosity put into practice, ideas turned into reality, and the confidence to take on challenges that extend well beyond the classroom.
