GAMA opens 2020 Aviation Design Challenge

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) isopening registration for the 2020 Aviation Design Challenge, which is an annualcompetition GAMA hosts to promote Science, Technology, Engineering andMathematics (STEM) education in U.S. high schools through aviation-focusedcurriculum and a virtual fly-off.

“This will be our eighth consecutive year hosting thislife-changing competition,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce. “As ourindustry’s workforce and talent needs continue to grow, this program remains avaluable tool in creating a pipeline for the future success of aviation and forpaying it forward to the next generation to provide them with exciting,rewarding STEM skills and career opportunities.”

GAMA will provide the first 150 schools that registercomplimentary “Fly to Learn” curriculum that is developed in alignment withnational STEM standards, along with free X-Plane software, which is acomprehensive and powerful flight simulator for personal computers. Teacherswill guide students through the principles of the science of flight andairplane design, completing the curricula in approximately six weeks in theclassroom or in four weeks through an accelerated program. The teams will thenapply that knowledge to modify an airplane design and complete a mission in avirtual fly-off using the software, which GAMA judges will score based onapplication of what the team learned, and performance parameters. The winningteam will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to experience general aviationmanufacturing firsthand.

The nationwide competition has attracted growing interesteach year and since its inception in 2013 has reached over 3,000 students inover 400 high schools, spanning 47 states and Washington, DC. Because of theAviation Design Challenge, several past winners and entrants are now pursuingcareers in aviation.