The General Aviation Manufacturers Association kicked off its fifth annual Build A Plane Aviation Design Challenge Tuesday, inviting all U.S. high schools to enter.The 2017 contest registration is now open and will be limited to the first 100 teams to register four-student teams with one teacher. Each participating team will receive a free “Fly to Learn” curriculum package with X-Plane flight simulation software and complete the curriculum in four to six weeks. Then they’ll work on an airplane design and compete in a “virtual fly-off” mission with scores for airplane performance. The winning team will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to a general aviation manufacturing facility. The registration deadline is Jan. 20, 2017, with competition entries due in April and the winner announced in May.
The contest is designed to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects with aviation themes. As stated in testimonials from teachers who coached the past winners, the experience gained from competing in the design challenge and winning the contest made for memorable lessons for the students who participated. Over the summer in Arlington, Washington, the 2016 winning team from Weyauwega-Fremont High School in Wisconsin put together a Sportsman airplane at Glasair Aviation. The four students and their teacher, Mike Hansen, competed with 76 teams for the top prize. “The progress each of the students made in the areas of communication, teamwork, and technical skills will serve them well for the rest of their lives,” Hansen said. “As our industry looks for more talented young people to fill the variety of aviation jobs that will open up in the coming years, this program has proven to be an excellent entry point for high school students and a valuable educational resource for their teachers, mentors, and administrators,” GAMA said.
