Teen-built airplane takes flight in Naples

One of humanity’s greatest inventions was building an airplane that could soar through the skies.

And now you have teens crafting those same wings, by themselves, that has soared in the skies over Naples.

In July, it will fly to Wisconsin for a global fly-in convention, which draws more than 650,000 people from 90 countries.

The teens are excited and thankful for the opportunity.

Some of the plane builders said the next step is to get their pilot’s license.

They want a career in aviation after realizing what they can do if they put their mind to it.

“We’ve been talking about it and thinking that this was something that we wanted to do. We would hold monthly young Eagle Flight rallies where kids come out and get free airplane rides,” said Joan Zaleski, a community outreach coordinator with the Naples Youth Aviation Project. “The parents would always say to us, my kid loves airplanes, what else is there for him or her to do?”

In 2019, the group set out to build the experimental aircraft, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed them down.

Ali Amini is one of the 11 builders who took part in Friday’s Sling 2 unveiling.

He said he hopes this is just the beginning of a career studying the skies.

“It feels amazing. It’s an extremely satisfying feeling to know what you built is right in front of you, to see your work paid off,” he said. “From here on out, I hope to get my private pilot’s license and then go for IFR [Instrument Flight Rules], then study aerospace engineering.”

Devil Wilson, also one of the 11, wants to fly jets in the future.

“It feels great to be even just part of it,” Wilson said. “And to see it finished, oh my gosh, I mean, that feels phenomenal. I mean, I am just so happy to just see it finished and flying.”

For more information on the Naples Youth Aviation Project, you can visit their website.