WELCOME
Welcome to the Schools Aerospace Challenge 2020.
Schools Aerospace Challenge helps 16-18 year olds enter the real world of aviation and engineering, with the chance to attend a residential summer school packed with exclusive events and experiences, and 5 prizes of £1,000 to be won.
The challenge? Put your team’s imagination and skills to the test by submitting design solutions to a realistic challenge set by the Royal Air Force, one of our main sponsors.
So, what are you waiting for? Teams from schools, Air Training Corps and other youth organisations can enter. Have you got what it takes? Get started on the Schools Aerospace Challenge 2020.
THE COMPETITION
Teams must include three members, supported by an adult sponsor from their school, Air Training Corp squadron or other recognised youth organisation. Each team must submit their final design solution on no more than five pages (sides) of A4 by midnight on 31st May 2020.
The top 12 entries will be selected by a panel of judges, the Challenge Directors. Shortlisted teams will be notified by mid-June and invited to attend a week-long aerospace experience Summer School on Cranfield University campus from 26th July to 31st July 2020.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Places at the Cranfield week are highly sought after. It is therefore a prerequisite of entry and submission that teams acknowledge and accept that they will be able to accept if offered a place at Cranfield.
It’s an exclusive opportunity to enter the world of aerospace, including the chance to fly and to gather flight data on-board the National Flying Laboratory’s ‘flying classroom’. Along with practical design and management exercises, there are presentations from top industry guest experts and visits to some of the best aviation sites in the UK (and some indoor sky diving!). It’s a unique opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the opportunities available in aerospace, and to begin to make contacts in this exciting world.
Individual team performance at Cranfield counts towards the overall selection of the winning teams. The 5 top teams will receive their prizes £1,000 each at a formal Awards Ceremony/Reception on Monday 23rd November 2020 at the prestigious Institution of Mechanical Engineers headquarters in central London. The teams present their designs to a distinguished audience of aerospace industry professionals – the Royal Air Force Chief of Air Staff will be the guest of honour and will present the awards. The winning team will also receive the Schools Aerospace Challenge Trophy, presented by Hybrid Air Vehicles.
2019 WINNERS

Winners of the John Farley Memorial Award
Team Dye Hard from Tonbridge School, Kent
Team Captain: Ollie Poole
Team Members: Chris Leigh, Ben Burgess and Cristian Smith
Sponsor and teacher Mr. Phil Deakin
Photo featuring the team plus Air Marshal Julian Young COM(Air) DE&S and Professor Joe McGeough IMechE President.
2019 Second Place
Croes Gorllewin from 1998 West Cross Squadron, ATC
Team Captain: Katherine Fung
Team Members: William Rees and Jason Liu
Sponsor: Flt Lt Mike Stones
2019 Third Place
Team Soteria from Tonbridge School, Kent
Team Captain: Max Lawrence
Team Members: Alex Lawrence and Cole Weber
Sponsor and teacher Mr. Phil Deakin
2019 Runners Up
Team Orion – from Latymer Upper Schools, London
Team Captain – Joseph Laurie. Team Members – Adam Young & Tulsi Patel. Sponsor – John McCarthy
Team Aether – from St Paul’s School, London
Team Captain – Anton Fedotov. Team Members – Amu Varma & Wei-Zhong Zhao . Sponsor – Dr Tomi Herceg