back to article US 5th graders have a pop at paper plane record

A bunch of US 5th graders* yesterday came close to breaking the Guinness World Record for the highest-altitude paper plane launch, which currently stands at a dizzying 35,043m. The pupils from Spring Grove Elementary in Illinois hit 34,586m (113,471ft) with their balloon-lofted vehicle, and later lamented that "another 100 to …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    "look forward to further attempts to push the envelope."

    I see what you did there.

    But did these various school students celebrate with SPB-designed, dialysis-inducing cocktails afterward?

    1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

      Re: "look forward to further attempts to push the envelope."

      I sincerely hope not ;-)

      1. Sir Runcible Spoon

        Re: "look forward to further attempts to push the envelope."

        I saw that and immediately thought "surely that should be 'fly the envelope'" ?

        1. Tom 7

          Re: "look forward to further attempts to push the envelope."

          Shirley with the use of bursting balloons it should be "pushing the jiffy-bag".

  2. Ralph B

    LOHAN?

    My colleague is happy with his coffee mug. And I'm happy with my beer glass. However, we'd be even happier if there was any news of progress with LOHAN.

    So, what gives, Lester? What gives?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: LOHAN?

      They picked a country where flying planes from balloons is not allowed. Schoolboy error.

      FAA. Fuck All Assistance.

      1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

        Re: Re: LOHAN?

        Interestingly, Spring Grove Elementary appears to be planning a "Project Blackbird" balloon/drone launch from Spaceport America. A 23 April post on Facebook says: "Project Blackbird is postponed pending FAA approval"

        https://www.facebook.com/RichmondSpring-Grove-Stemc-1220017744679768/?fref=nf

        1. Nick Woodruffe

          Optional

          Lester, I know we have spoken in the past about the license issues of the rocket motor and being allowed to fire it in certain countries. What about picking a motor that is allowed to be used in Spain or even the UK?

          1. Dan 55 Silver badge

            Re: Optional

            Maybe French Guiana have got a fast streamlined burocracy?

            I'm sure at the very least they won't want you to open an explosives containment facility.

            1. PNGuinn
              Headmaster

              Re: a fast streamlined burocracy

              Shirly that should be burrocracy?

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: a fast streamlined burocracy

                Shirly that should be burrocracy?

                Seems that's what we've got here… they're very quick to make an ass of themselves.

        2. glen waverley
          Headmaster

          Re: Spring Grove Elementary

          So by the time the FAA approval comes thru, they'll be post-grad scholars at Spring Grove University?

        3. SW10
          Headmaster

          Re: LOHAN?

          Interestingly, Spring Grove Elementary appears to be planning a "Project Blackbird" balloon/drone launch from Spaceport America.

          The only sensible solution is to launch a hostile takeover of Spring Grove Elementary.

          1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

            Re: Re: LOHAN?

            Sadly, it looks like the FAA is holding up their launch, too.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: LOHAN?

              How about Damascus?

              Rocket launches seem to be surprisingly popular in Syria these days....

              Have you considered asking Putin?

  3. The_Idiot

    Excellent! Perhaps I won't...

    ... have to give up all hope on the human race after all, if people this age can get interested in starting, working on and actually completing something this 'science-y' and find it fun.

    On the other hand, many of the adults (at least, the ones not called Musk) seem to be beyond that same hope :-(.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    Re: "Equivalent to year 6 in the UK"

    This still doesn't mean anything to me...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Equivalent to year 6 in the UK"

      According to a chart I found when I had similar questions they are 10 to 11 year old kids.

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
        Thumb Up

        Re: "Equivalent to year 6 in the UK"

        Ah, so final year Junior school kids just before they go to "big school" ;-) I was wondering too!

        (ignoring those few holdouts still running a "middle school" type system)

    2. Sweep

      Re: "Equivalent to year 6 in the UK"

      Me neither, and I live in the UK.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sponsorship

    Looks like they didn't get any sponsorship deals. Not even redbull. If you can't even get redbull to sponsor, what hope have you got?

  6. Tim 11

    "another 100 to 150 grams of helium"

    hmm just try weighing that out on the kitchen scales ;-)

    1. Sir Runcible Spoon
      Happy

      Re: "another 100 to 150 grams of helium"

      Simple.

      Attach a balloon to a 1kg weight, put weight on scales.

      Fill balloon until weight measurement reads 850g and you have 150g of helium in the balloon* :)

      *I'm almost certain this is incorrect, but it sounds good. If you don't believe me, ask the mice.

      1. IanRS
        Boffin

        Re: "another 100 to 150 grams of helium"

        No, no, no! Put the scales, up-side-down, on the ceiling. Then pour the helium into the scale bowl.

  7. Andrew 60

    What, no SATS tests

    Shame on the US education system, teaching science and allowing the kids to do experiments. We all know that year 6 pupils should be rote learning obscure grammar rules.

    1. Ken Hagan Gold badge

      Re: What, no SATS tests

      "rote learning obscure grammar rules."

      Obscure because "actually, we've just made some of them up". (That one about the exclamation marks, for example.)

      It's quite ingenious actually. You see, the SATs are for measuring the school's performance, not the kids, and so you need some way around the fact that some kids are smarter than others. So ... you make sure that the syllabus for your exam contains certain things that simply won't be learned, even (or especially!) by the brightest students, except at school. Stuff that isn't true fits the bill beautifully.

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