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A Birmingham school
and a Welsh Air Training Corps Squadron have jointly won the
RAF’s coveted Schools Aerospace Challenge - by designing
replacement aircraft for training the fast jet military pilots
of the future.
At an awards
ceremony in central London last night the two three-boy teams
were presented with their trophies by the RAF’s senior officer,
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. The
ceremony, at the HQ of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers,
was attended by senior RAF officers, captains of industry and
embassy dignitaries from around the globe.
The 2008 award went
to “Team Spectre” from King Edward V1 Camp Hill Boys School and
“Team Penderfyniad” from 499 (Port Talbot) Sqn ATC.
The challenge for
2008 was announced last year by Air Marshal Barry Thornton,
Chief of Defence Materiel (Air). It was to design a replacement
for the RAF’s Tucano turboprop two seat trainer which came into
service in 1988 and replaced the Jet Provost. Despite it being
propeller driven the Tucano has all the characteristics of a jet
and bridged the gap between the basic trainer, the Tutor, and
the Hawk advanced trainer. Over the next few years it will need
replacing to mirror the 21st Century cockpit
environments of jets such as Typhoon and the new Hawk 128.
Team Spectre
comprised Ross Willington, Vishesh Sapa and James Lee. Team
Penderfyniad comprised Cadet Warrant Officer Gethin Davies, and
Flt
Sgt Cadets
Jonathan Glave and Gareth Havard.
Sponsored by the
RAF, the Schools Aerospace Challenge was devised eleven years
ago to introduce teams of school pupils aged 16 and 17 or from
youth organisations across the UK to real life design challenges
they may encounter early in their science or technology-based
careers. Each year the teams compete to research and design an
aerospace project, the theme of which is set by the RAF.
The best teams are
then invited to attend one of two residential courses at the
School of Engineering, Cranfield University, during their summer
break. Based on their entry and performance at Cranfield, the
two teams were jointly judged “Team of the Year” and received a
prize of £5,000. Since this is the first time two teams came
joint first, they will share the prize money.
Said Chief Examiner
John Farley, a former Harrier test pilot: “Their designs had
cost, adaptability and the environment as their core. Both
winning entries were most impressive and not unrealistic future
aircraft proposals. For the first time we had to call a draw.”
He added: “The
highlight of the summer school at Cranfield University where the
top teams developed their ideas, was a visit by Hawks of RAF
Valley, and the chance to fly in an RAF Jetstream aircraft used
to train flight engineers. Experiential flights were as usual
provided by one of our main sponsors, Cabair.”
The competition –
sponsored by top companies such as BAe Systems, General
Dynamics, Thales, Rolls Royce, VT Aerospace, QinetiQ and
Raytheon as well as by the RAF- is seen by schools, youth
organisations and industry as an excellent way of encouraging
interest in and understanding of engineering and the challenging
area of aerospace technology at an important time when pupils
are considering their future careers. The RAF also recognises
the possibility that some aspects of the designs may be
incorporated into future capabilities.
Team Spectre
designed a cost-effective turboprop trainer based on re-engineering
existing RAF Hawks that will become available as the new Hawk
128 comes into service. The design incorporates new flat screen
cockpits to complement 5th generation avionics.
Team Penderfyniad
decided to design a new aircraft – codenamed Kestrel T1 - with
contra-rotating “pusher” propellers, rear mounted wing and
canards to replicate the handling qualities of Typhoon.
Said Sir Glenn
Torpy: “The Schools Aerospace Challenge has gone from strength
to strength. This year I have noticed that new considerations
such as the environment and greater emphasis on cost and income
generation are being stressed.
“The Challenge
really achieves its objectives of encouraging enthusiasm in and
enjoyment of engineering within an aviation context. This is my
fifth year attending the awards ceremony and as ever the
challenge has captured the imagination of young people and
stimulated their interest and inspiring them in engineering
fields. And these designs come at a time when the RAF is
grappling with selecting our next training aircraft.”
At
the awards ceremony the 2009 challenge for budding engineers in
their last years at school was announced. Said Air Marshal Sir
Barry Thornton:
“An important
international role for the RAF is the delivery of aid following
natural disasters and famines. In some circumstances communities
may be cut off from all surface access for long periods, and
thus aerial delivery may be the only possible means of providing
relief supplies. A simple drop by parachute may not be accurate
enough in mountainous areas where the terrain requires delivery
from medium altitudes, perhaps several thousand metres above the
landing site.
As a result the RAF
is seeking designs for a new supply delivery aircraft, which
will achieve a touchdown accuracy of about 20 metres without
assistance from the ground. The aircraft must be able to remain
up to 3000 metres above the landing zone and ideally the system
should be able to cope with surface winds of up to 20 knots at
the landing site.”
Added Sir Glenn:
“The success of the competition is also down to the generosity
of sponsors, who not only support the Challenge financially but
give of their time to ensure it remains at the cutting edge of
design and technology that may well benefit the future RAF.”
By Steve Willmot
5th
November
2008 |
