High-flying judges check-in for global Airbus student contest
Aircraft manufacturer Airbus today unveiled a high-profile line-up of judges for its global Fly Your Ideas (FYI) competition, with the head of the German Aerospace Centre joining a Senior Vice President (SVP) from award-winning airline Emirates; the Founder of award-winning low cost airline Go; and the Director of BBC Global News.
Airbus is challenging students worldwide to develop new ideas for a greener aviation industry, with €30,000 going to the winning team. Those that make it to the final in Paris next June will face a panel featuring Professor Woerner, Chairman of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) which also acts as the German space agency.
Professor Woerner will sit alongside Barbara Cassani, founder and CEO of the UK-based low cost airline, Go – which later merged with the UK’s easyJet – and also the founding Chairman of London’s successful 2012 Olympic bid. She has also served as chairman of Spanish low cost airline Vueling and European hotel group, Jurys Inns. The other members of the panel are Andrew Parker, SVP Public, Government and Environment Affairs at Emirates, one of the main airlines in the world; and the BBC’s Peter Horrocks who runs the overall editorial leadership and management of the world's leading international multimedia broadcaster.
Senior Airbus representatives will also be on the panel including Charles Champion, Executive Vice President Engineering and FYI Patron. Announcing the judges today, Champion said: “To have such high-profile figures involved in the Airbus Fly Your Ideas challenge is testament to the importance of what we are trying to achieve. This is a unique opportunity for students to be part of our vision for an eco-efficient aviation industry of the future; to balance the increasing demand for air travel with a better environment.”
To enter FYI 2011 students must register as a team of three to five members on the competition website by 30 November 2010. Project proposals must be submitted by 10 December 2010. Those shortlisted for Round 2 will develop their ideas into more detailed submissions with support from Airbus staff. Five finalist teams will win a VIP trip to Paris, France in June 2011 during the International Paris Airshow - Le Bourget and make presentations to the jury.
Students of any nationality, gender or discipline – from engineering to marketing; business to science; philosophy to design – can take part. Proposals are welcome on all stages of the ‘Environmental Life Cycle’ – an approach Airbus uses to improve the environmental performance of an aircraft and its production process in five areas: design; supply chain; manufacturing; aircraft operations and aircraft end-of-life. FYI 2011 follows the inaugural contest launched in 2008 in which some 2,350 students from over 80 countries took part.
For further information and to register visit: www.airbus-fyi.com
Notes:
- To participate, students must be registered to study full or part time at any recognised degree-awarding institution until April 15th 2011 (the end of Round 2) and could be studying a degree, Masters or PhD in any discipline
- The team should be given a name, and one team member nominated team spokesperson
- Each team must identify an Academic Mentor, a member of staff from one of the team’s institutions
- At the start of each round of the competition, a Briefing Pack will be sent to the team spokesperson
- Participants must be a member of one team only.
FYI 2011 competition timings:
- Registration: Closes 30 November 2010
- Round 1, Project Proposal: 01 September 2010 – 10 December 2010
- Round 2, Project Submission: 17 January 2011 – 15 April 2011
- Round 3, Project Presentation (development): 16 May 2011 – 17 June 2011
- Final, Project Presentation (live): June 2011 (Int. Paris Air Show - Le Bourget, France)
