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More than eight years ago, Rachel Harris of Germantown came up with an idea to help local 4-H clubs soar to new heights.

The Flying Tigers learn about aerospace technology using model rockets and remote controlled airplanes. The 55 members, county residents between ages 8 and 18, do projects each year that range from soda bottle rockets and foam gliders to building large model rockets and flying nitro-powered remote controlled planes, said Harris, a 4-H organizational leader.

The club had a rocket launch and aerospace demonstration Monday at the 62nd annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair at the county fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. All flying objects in the demonstration and on display were made by members of the Flying Tigers, Harris said.

Members launched egg lofter rockets, which shoot a raw egg into the air, then release it with a parachute to waft it to the ground. "We had to keep the rockets low to keep them in the grandstand, which didn't really allow the egg to fall down gently," Harris said with a laugh.

More than 20 rockets were launched as part of the presentation, which also included demonstrations of control line and remote controlled airplanes.

The group's aerospace focus ties in with 4-H's recent concentration on education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Harris said. "Just because a kid is raising a beef cow, doesn't mean he isn't also shooting off rockets in his spare time."

An obsession with building things and watching them fly has kept Kurt Hamblin with the Flying Tigers for five years. Hamblin, 12, of Silver Spring said the club is a commitment you get hooked into. He had two rockets on display Monday at the fair — one of them made from an old cardboard orange juice container.

"This is a very good club," Hamblin said. "It's hands on and, well, it's just a lot of fun. It's something you do because you want to do it."

Harris said she didn't expect the club to be as popular as it is.

"If you start with these kids when they're young, you're hooking them into science and engineering," she said. "I think this program fits a niche."

The club's aerospace projects for this year are on display through the end of the fair at the 4-H indoor exhibit.

Staff writer Danielle E. Gaines contributed to this story.

Flying Tiger details

Meetings: Second Thursday of each month at the county fairgrounds in Gaithersburg; in November, each member picks a project for the year

Dues: $10 per year

Other costs: Each project costs between $20 and $250

FYI: Call the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension in Montgomery County at 301-590-9638.