Micheal M. I my self never had a problem with balsa dust but I do wear a mask sometime and I have a dust shop vac. I used to watch on PBS This Old House and New Yankee workshop and Norm Abrams after years of working with wood dust had to get an operation
So we have to be careful.
François I guess this is a take on Le Pou du ciel a french airplane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mignet_Pou-du-Ciel