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Flying Start Challenge team wins Royal Aeronautical Society award
Thursday 12 December 2024
We are pleased to share the news that a one of the STEM engagement activities we co-sponsor is the proud recipient of a bronze team medal in Royal Aeronautical Society Awards 2024.
At an awards celebration in London, The Royal Aeronautical Society proudly announced The Flying Start Challenge Team was a Bronze Team Medal recipient for its major contributions to the advancement of aerospace art, science and engineering.
The Flying Start Challenge is organised by apprentices and graduates from South-West based aerospace companies. MBDA works alongside Airbus, Leonardo, AtkinsRéalis, Dowty, GE Aerospace, Safran and, recently, Roxel Propulsion Systems.
Lizzie, part of MBDA’s representation on the committee that helps organise the Flying Start Challenge, who attended the award ceremony, said in reaction to the team receiving the award:
“We are honoured to be part of the team receiving the award, but it absolutely could not be done without the help of the partner companies, the teachers in the schools, and Aerospace Bristol.
Liam, another of our members on the committee attending the ceremony added:
“The recognition for this award is not just for us on the committee who helped organise it, but to the countless colleagues on our early careers programmes who went into schools and taught pupils face to face helping them build their gliders.”
The Flying Start Challenge is a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) initiative in Southwest England that aims to inspire students aged 11 to 14 to explore the field of flight and aerospace.
Students design, build and test hand-propelled a model glider, creating presentations that explain the engineering decisions they have made over the course of their glider build. The contest proceeds through local Regional Finals for the Bristol, Gloucester and Yeovil regions, culminating in a Grand Final in Bristol.
Charlie, also on the Flying Start Challenge committee, reflected on the award being how winning the award was fully a result of co-operation and teamwork, saying:
“Working on an event of this scale wouldn’t be possible without them. Every company contributed to a different aspect and really helped along every step of the way.”
Tom, our final committee member reflected on the impact he felt the Flying Start Challenge had made on the students involved, saying:
“The students always seemed to be having great fun with each activity through the challenge,. I hope that it inspires them to stick with STEM subjects and follow a career path in engineering.”
Dave Edwards CEO of the Royal Aeronautical Society said:
“The Royal Aeronautical Society is proud to recognise the exceptional achievements of the 2024 Honours, Medals, and Awards recipients. Their dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence, has made significant contributions to advancing aerospace. Their work embodies the highest standards of our industry and inspires progress across the global aerospace community.”