The 23-year-old ex-Macleans College pupil is off to the US early next year when he will live out one of his space dreams.
“From a young age I was interested in aircraft and space,” he says. “I believe many others share a feeling of awe and appreciation of the technology that enables us to travel in this environment.”
Mr Bailey was a recent recipient of a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. The US$25,000 award means he can spend 10 months in the US with tuition and living costs paid.
While there, he will continue to study towards his PhD.
He is currently at the University of Auckland, and will begin researching and studying at the Georgia Institute of Technology in February.
“It’s a big benefit to be able to go to the States, where a lot of aerospace takes place,” but that’s not to say Aotearoa isn’t up with the play.
“New Zealand is just beginning to enter the competitive aerospace market with niche aircraft design projects, such as the design of aircraft interiors at Altitude Aerospace Interiors, a subsidiary of Air New Zealand, with whom I’m working in collaboration for my research.”
Mr Bailey told the Times he was “fully stoked” when he found out about his Fulbright Scholarship.
“It’s something I’ve been into for quite a long time you know.
“When I was 10, I was interested in space and I’ve always loved engineering and aircraft technology growing up.”
Had it not been for the scholarship, moving to and studying in the US would not have been possible.
He says the contacts he’ll make in his dream field will be more valuable than the money from his scholarship.
While there, Mr Bailey wants to witness a shuttle launch in Florida and hopes to attend conferences on aircraft. In terms of “extra-curricular activities”, he wants to go along to an American football match.
Byron Bentley, his old principal at Macleans College, has sent Mr Bailey a congratulatory letter – he says the school “has always been really supportive, even after I left”.
