Students Modify a CubCrafters NX Cub for GAMA's Aviation Design Challenge

Now in its 10th year, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA) annual challenge contest spurs innovation and inspires youth to pursue aerospace engineering careers.

Sara Withrow

Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 12:27 PM ET

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High school students from Erie 1 BOCES Harkness Career and Technical Center in Cheektowaga, New York, get an insiders' look at CubCrafters' aircraft manufacturing plant in Yakima, Washington. The students are members of the first-place GAMA Aviation Design Challenge team. [Courtesy: GAMA]

Key Takeaways:

GAMA's 10th annual Aviation Design Challenge fosters STEM skills and aviation career interest among high school students through hands-on aircraft design.
Erie 1 BOCES Harkness Career and Technical Center won this year's challenge, which involved modifying a CubCrafters NX Cub for efficient payload delivery and landing on a challenging runway.
The winning team received a "Manufacturing Experience" with tours of aviation facilities in Washington state, while the second-place team was awarded a Redbird Flight Simulations STEM Lab.
The challenge has grown significantly since its inception, expanding from 27 teams in 2013 to 65 teams representing 28 states in 2022.

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Creating the aviation and aerospace engineers of tomorrow takes more than an average lesson plan. Recognizing this, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) created a hands-on Aviation Design Challenge to teach STEM skills and inspire high school students to pursue future careers in aviation.

Monday, GAMA announced this year’s challenge winner: Erie 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) Harkness Career and Technical Center in Cheektowaga, New York. The team from Raisbeck Aviation High School in Tukwila, Washington, was awarded second place.