Help a Canadian Air Cadet Team get to UK RPAS Challenge.

The Alberta Aviation Museum hosted a press conference at 10am Friday March 30 at the Aviation Museum to announce a special program to promote youth in Aerospace with an international twist.

The Alberta Aviation Museum received an invitation from the Schools Aerospace Challenge, which takes place at the prestigious Cranfield University in England, to field the First Canadian Team to the Challenge this July.

The Schools Aerospace Challenge is a program designed for 16 to 18 year olds to provide solutions for a real Royal Air Force requirement, this year:

“As the usefulness of RPAS continues to be demonstrated by UK forces on current operations, how should the Royal Air Force train its pilots/operators to take account of current and emerging technological developments in unmanned air platforms?”

This year’s team will be from 12 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets, team members were introduced at the Press Conference.

12 Squadron was selected to provide the team due to the short time frame and the instrumental volunteer help by one of their parent volunteers that is also a Alberta Aviation Museum member.

Future years will see the selection process become a Greater Edmonton area competition between Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadrons evolving to a regional, Provincial eventually a National competition.

The Alberta Aviation Museum has become involved as a way of promoting young adults to become involved in the exciting high technology world of Aerospace, a career path often overlooked in today’s world.

The Museum’s immediate challenge is to raise the $45,000.00 budget to send the team to the competition in England over the next 60 – 90 days. Fundraising is off to a great start with contributions form Strathcona County, 418 Squadron Association and others contributing approximately $10,000.00 with the launch.

The Alberta Aviation Museum is appealing to the public as well as Greater Edmonton and Alberta Corporations to meet the fund raising targets now and to future years as this is a program being created to run forward each year with competitions for 2013 starting in September 2013.

All donations to the project should be directed specifically to the Alberta Aviation Museum Schools Aerospace Challenge Program and are eligible for a CRA accepted Charitable Tax receipt.

For more information or to donate contact:

Thomas Hinderks

Executive Director

Alberta Aviation Museum