Boeing head shows how to build a better paper airplane

CHICAGO -- Boeing Chairman and CEO Phil Condit on Thursday took time out from developing the Sonic Cruiser to concentrate on a more elementary conundrum of aviation: how to build a better paper airplane.

Condit unveiled his version of a paper airplane before 29 students in Michelle Schneider's 7th grade science class at George Armstrong School for International Studies, a Chicago public school where Condit was principal for a day.

It was a small, oval craft, obviously far ahead of the delta-winged airplanes the students built before his arrival. Condit lifted the aircraft out of a small box without the fanfare usually given the introduction of a new Boeing product. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it on a short, bumpy flight that ended about two yards away at the feet of a brown-haired girl.

Condit was one of 1,300 corporate, civic and entertainment leaders who fanned out across Chicago to talk to the city's more than 400,000 public school students about the importance of education. The program was started six years ago by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to broaden support for the schools.

Other honorary educators included television actress Bonnie Hunt; movie actor Vince Vaughn; Walt Disney's daughter, Diane Disney Miller; and Broadway actress and singer Heather Headley.

Condit later moved on to Orr Community Academic High School, where he announced Boeing's more than $1 million in education-related grants to fund teacher development and promote parent involvement.

"Our commitment to public education is an investment in our future," he said. "Our company depends on schools to help the next generation of engineers, scientists and technicians take their first steps into a world-class work force."

Condit arrived at Armstrong School before the morning bell and waited until the halls were clear before taking to the intercom to make several announcements. He then visited a computer lab and stopped in an art class.

Within seconds of striding into the science class, Condit, an aeronautical engineer, launched into an explanation of how things fly. He went over the principles of flight with rapt students, explaining thrust, lift and drag, while using both paper airplanes and a small, balsa model to illustrate his points.

"Do you understand what I'm talking about?" he asked at one point as students nodded.

He asked them to demonstrate with their airplanes and gave them advice on how to improve them. "Bend the wings up a bit."

Then came the questions: "Why do you name aircraft? What type of wings allow an airplane to go fastest? What do you prefer, cars or airplanes?"

"What you really want to do is what you care about, what you have a passion for," Condit said on picking a career. "And do it well."