MANSFIELD -- A Qualters Middle School student and her father flew to Alaska for a summer vacation without bothering to make airline reservations.

They built the airplane.

Eighth-grader Stacey Garrett has a unique summer vacation story to share when school starts again in early September.

She and her father Randy flew their Van's RV-6A plane from Taunton Municipal Airport, where the two-seater is based, to Fairbanks, Alaska, and back again.

They left June 29 and returned July 10. For complete story, see today's Sun Chronicle.