Bombardier Aerospace today challenged Northern Ireland school children to become leaders in flight by designing, building and flying a self-propelled model aircraft, made from recyclable everyday objects.
Speaking at the launch in the W5 Science Museum in Belfast, Colin Elliott, vice-president, Engineering, said: "As Bombardier is a world leader in regional and business aircraft with a history of innovation reaching back to the dawn of aviation, we are very conscious that today's young people will provide the ideas for the next century of flight. This competition is part of our effort to help young people understand the scientific principles of flight, to encourage them to develop their ideas and to become future innovators in aerospace."
"The competition is linked to our educational outreach programme, which includes sponsored displays at W5, the X2 Flight Experience exhibit at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra and the Flight Experience CD-ROM which uses the principles of flight -thrust, lift, drag, weight - as well as aerospace business related topics, to teach aspects of the schools' curriculum. Through these initiatives, we encourage young people to consider aerospace as a future career."
"We are particularly grateful to W5 for their support and encouragement in helping us to hold this competition. I am really looking forward to what the young people come up with," concluded Mr. Elliott.
The competition is open to all schools in Northern Ireland, with three categories, Key Stage 2 (Primary), Key stages 3-4, and Special Schools. Each category will have teams of two pupils who will bring their completed aircraft to the grand final in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast, on Monday June 6th, 2005. The prize for the team in each of the categories whose airplane flies the furthest is an overnight trip to London, to visit the Science museum and the London Eye. The Bombardier Aerospace Foundation will also present £1,000 prizes to the winners' schools.
More information on the competition, including details of which materials can be used can be found on Bombardier's educational website, www.theflightexperience.com.
About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2005, were $15.8 billion US and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). News and information are available at www.bombardier.com.
Flight Experience is trademark(s) of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
For information
Olivia Johnston
Public relations advisor
028-904-68545
www.bombardier.com
Notes to Editors:
1. The aircraft must be made from everyday household items, which have not been purpose bought. The only exception to this rule will be for ready-made propellers, which, if used, must not exceed a 20 cm diameter. Samples of possible building materials are detailed below, although this list is not exhaustive:
Wood (for example Balsa wood)
Card
Paper
Polystyrene Trays
Foam
Elastic Bands
Paper Clips
Split Pins
Lollipop sticks
Straws
Balloons (however not Helium filled!)
Glue
Film Canisters
Effervescent tablets
Plasticine
2. The aircraft must be capable of:
* Launching from a standing start from a standard desk (height approx. 1 m)
* Carrying a specified load (equivalent to a stock cube)
* Travelling over a minimum horizontal distance of 2 metres from a standing start
* Fitting within an 80 cm x 80 cm box
3. The propulsion system used with the aircraft must not be motorised or involve anything which could be of a health and safety hazard (for example fireworks)