Calgary, AB – A Canadian teen with autism spectrum disorder has been receiving attention on social media for his unique ability to make model airplanes out of cardboard.
According to his mother, Josh Gibbs has had an interest in planes for several years and as a child, would make models out of Snap-It kits that he was often given. Eventually his interest in planes resulted in the youngster honing his natural skill thus enabling him to create intricate pieces from scratch. Today, his models have become so impressive that officials at both WestJet and Boeing took notice after his mother posted photos of them online.
Gibbs’ creations, which are made out of basic craft supplies such as felt and Scotch tape, are fully to scale due to the teen conducting research to learn the exact measurements of the planes in order to ensure that the interior and exterior are as realistic as possible. Gibbs reveals that it takes approximately 30 hours total to create his pieces and admits that he has his sights set on designing planes for a living with either of the two companies. He states:
“It’s a lot of math and stuff. I’d have to move to Seattle because that’s where the Boeing headquarters is.”
Source: Michael Franklin on the CTV Calgary News website: Calgary teen draws attention with detailed model planes with video