COVER STORY
The Summer of
Eight students build two airplanes in just two weeks
By Peter J. Bunce
Peter Bunce is
the president and
CEO of GAMA,
an international
trade association
representing 84 of
the world's leading
manufacturers of
general aviation
airplanes and
rotorcraft,
engines, avionics,
components,
and related
services. For more
information visit
www.gama.aero.
16
F
or most high school students, summer is a time to sleep in, relax with
friends, find a part-time job, or
head off for camp. But for the eight
student winners of the General
Aviation Manufacturers Association
(GAMA)/Build A Plane Aviation Design
Challenge — and an old aviation head like
me who was fortunate enough to work with
them — the summer of 2013 was a lifechanging experience as we built two Glasair
Sportsman aircraft in just two weeks.
This wonderful opportunity came about
when GAMA's 84-member companies partnered with Build A Plane, a nonprofit organization that promotes aviation and aerospace
education, to create the competition. Our
aim was to promote science, technology,
November/December 2013
engineering, and math (STEM) education
among high school students and to inspire
the next generation of aviation leaders and
our future manufacturing and maintenance
work force.
In just the first year, the competition
attracted 27 entries from schools in 22 states.
Schools used complimentary X-Plane software provided by Fly to Learn, along with
curricula and training, to design and fly
their own virtual aircraft. GAMA engineers
judged the winners based on performance
and aerodynamic parameters.
Mark Van Tine, president of Jeppesen, and
Wyatt Johansen, a student from Canby High
School, Canby, MN, work together on the
Build A Plane project.
Aircraft Maintenance Technology • www.AviationPros.com • www.AMTSociety.org