David Rancourt

Helping Young People Find Dreams and Passions

For David Rancourt, a student in mechanical engineering at the Université de Sherbrooke, science and aeronautics are not just a passion, they are a whole way of life. For as long as he can remember, he has always looked towards the skies when a plane flies overhead, wondering how it works. In fact he was only ten when he built his first vehicle that worked using gravity. From that moment on, everyone knew that his curiosity for science would enable him to distinguish himself and make his mark in the world of aeronautics.

Driven by his passion, David took advantage of his entry to high school to start participating in the Expo-sciences Bell science fairs. Taking part in a total of ten exhibitions, he used his extraordinary scientific knowledge to design a remote-controlled plane with variable flight characteristics and to earn himself a place in the 2003 international finals held in Moscow. “It was a very rewarding experience at the technical level, but also from a personal standpoint,” he remembers while pointing out that the adventure has had many repercussions on his life, such as the numerous visits he has made to elementary and high schools to talk about his experiences.

David continued on his scientific quest by undertaking university studies. Upon his arrival at the Université de Sherbrooke, he helped establish VAMUdeS, a student group that aims to design and build miniaturized planes equipped with an aerial inspection camera. As the group’s vice-president, he was in charge of designing the aerodynamics and also piloted the planes. At their very first competition, held in Germany, the group triumphed in four of the categories.

David has two pilot licences, has carried out research in the area of miniature windmills and helped design a flight simulator, yet despite his busy life he still finds time to share his knowledge and pass on his passion to young people by regularly giving talks at elementary and high schools. To date, he has managed to meet with over 300 youngsters. “These presentations advocate the importance of giving children something to dream about, especially children who believe that only the rich can aspire to success,” says David.

Moreover, the past ten years spent as a member of the Air Cadets prompted him among other things to design a DVD that allows people to view a glider’s reactions in different flight situations. The tool has made the work of officers teaching students how to deal with difficult situations much easier. Last year, David also devised various activities relating to aeronautics for the Club des débrouillards day camp in the Eastern Townships.

“During the time he spent with us, David set himself apart by his dynamism, his involvement in the milieu, his curiosity for the sciences, his contribution to scientific experiment and his steadfast efforts. In my judgement, David is one of those strong individuals who will undoubtedly make a significant contribution to our vision of society,” stated Hugues Loranger of the Collège de Shawinigan.

David Rancourt