The General Aviation Manufacturers Association chose National Aviation Day to announce its 2019 Aviation Design Challenge. GAMA’s been hosting this competition every year since 2013 to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in American high schools using an aviation curriculum, and a virtual “fly-off.”
GAMA’s President and CEO Pete Bunce said, “This will be our seventh consecutive year hosting this life-changing competition, and it will be our biggest one yet with our expansion of the school registration cap to 150 slots.”
GAMA provides registered schools complementary “Fly to Learn” curriculum developed in relation to STEM standards, along with X-Plane flight simulation software. Teachers educate students on the science of flight and airplane design in about six weeks in the classroom, or in four weeks through an accelerated program. Teams then use their new knowledge to modify an airplane design, and complete a mission in a virtual fly-off using X-Plane. GAMA judges score the teams based on what they have learned, along with performance parameters. The winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to experience general aviation manufacturing in person during the summer of 2019.
“This program is a valuable tool for us to not only help educate the nation’s students about the science of flight and airplane design, but also tell them about the exciting career options that lie ahead for them in the general aviation industry,” Bunce added.
Registration information is available on the GAMA Aviation Design Challenge webpage.
