Students Win Aviation Design Challenge

Weyauwega-Fremont High School in Weyauwega, Wisconsin, is the winner of the design challenge, which was created to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) knowledge among U.S. high school students. As the prize, four students, one teacher and one chaperone will travel to Glasair Aviation in Arlington, Washington, to build a Glasair Sportsman from June 20-July 1, 2016.

The competition included 76 high schools from across the United States, who used Fly to Learn curriculum to learn the basics of aerospace engineering and applied that knowledge by modifying a virtual airplane with software powered by X-Plane. The software scored the aircraft based on the payload, the length of the flight and the amount of fuel burned. In addition, judges from GAMA's engineering team evaluated a summary of modifications each team made to the virtual Cessna 172SP, a checklist of steps involved in the demonstration flight and three videos submitted throughout the competition, culminating in the students sharing what they learned.

Builder Dennis Willows will be letting the students help build the airplane, and is also bringing his daughter Grace---who, at age 17, has already graduated ground school and soloed---and grandson Angus to assist him throughout the two-week build.

Sponsors will provide round-trip airfare, hotels and meals for the winning team. They include BBA Aviation, Bose Corporation, Embraer, Garmin International, GE Aviation, Glasair Aviation, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Hartzell Propeller Inc., Jeppesen, Jet Aviation, Lycoming Engines, Rockwell Collins, Textron Aviation, and Wipaire Inc. In addition, staff from GAMA and Jeppesen will support the build.

For more information about the competition organizers, visit gama.aero, buildaplane.org, glasairaviation.com and flytolearn.com.