CRI听力:Building a Plane on Your Own

Building your own light aircraft would be a daunting task for any professional engineer - not so for an Australian teenager.

Solomon Tessaye has created his own plane in his parent's garage - using just scrap metal and recycled bits and pieces.

His parents fled Ethiopia and settled in Melbourne 10 years ago.

With his parent's encouragement, Solomon has pursued lofty ambitions, and aimed high in his new life - so high that he hopes to take to the skies.

Solomon managed to build a small airplane in the garage of his family home, sourcing parts from yard sales, council dumps and junk left at the side of the road.

This one may never take off, but he says it's the start of a lifelong dream:

"I've always been inspired by small aircraft, fuel efficient airplanes and I just wanted to build one on my own."

Solomon's mother Mary Alemnehe says despite being unable to help financially, she's extremely proud of his skill and dedication.

"Coming from a refugee background, I don't have enough money to help him. But what he has done, he has managed to do with just pieces of scrap and stuff that he's bought from garage sales."

An active member of the Air Cadets squadron 404, Solomon is passionate about designing, building and flying aircraft.

He began with models and miniatures but has now moved on to bigger designs. And after 18 months work, Solomon's light aircraft is near completion.

Mick Poole from the Recreational Aviation Australia group says it's a massive achievement for such a young man.

"For a gentleman of his age, he's done extremely well. A good mechanical aptitude. He must have a love of airplanes to have designed something like that."

Surprisingly, no pilot license is required for Solomon to take to the sky in his self-built aircraft - if it were ever to get off the ground. The only restriction he would face is flying over built-up or residential areas.

Solomon's efforts have inspired the aviation community to help him with his dream of flying.

After the story aired on Australian television, a Sydney flight school offered Solomon free flying lessons and financial assistance towards a pilot's certificate.

The qualification, just one rung below a formal pilot's license, would normally cost thousands of dollars.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.