The vice president of one of the world’s most famous aeroplane companies visited Hatfield last week to inspire a nine-year-old boy.
The visit came after Andrew Newberry wrote a letter to aircraft giants Boeing in Seattle, enclosing a hand drawn plane design.
Peter Hoffman, vice president of Intellectual Property Management, replied and made a promise to himself to visit if he was ever in the country.
On Wednesday, he fulfilled his pledge and gave a presentation to 60 youngsters at Howe Dell School, where Andrew is a pupil, as part of National Engineers Week 2014.
Mr Hoffman, who has worked for the American aviation giant for 29 years, said: “We often get letters from children and Andrew’s was so unique in what he was saying and the design [he sent in].
“I wanted to encourage that [drawing] as it is what made me want to become an engineer.
“And I wanted to inspire him and his friends, too.”
Mr Hoffman told the Welwyn Hatfield Times he regularly visits schools around America giving talks about engineering and what the company does.
He added: “Drawing, thinking, dreaming and innovation, that is what you need to be an engineer.”
Andrew said he was “gobsmacked” at receiving a letter of reply from Mr Hoffman.
“Really, I was stunned because at first I didn’t really have the idea but then I just thought I would write him a letter,” said the youngster.
He added it was “really good” that Mr Hoffman had come to speak to the class.
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