Press Release

Young engineers on fast track at Gatwick

 

22 July 2009

 

Gatwick’s engineers, fire service and police helped inspire the young technicians of the future when they staged the national final of a racing baggage buggy challenge at the airport last Friday.

Some 13 teams of young finalists from all over the country came to race their model airport baggage buggies in a car park close to the main runway, in the annual BAA Challenge run in partnership with Young Engineers.

The airport’s own engineering apprentices acted as mentors for the teams, while more experienced engineers judged the entries. The day was co-ordinated by Gatwick’s Greg Caseley, who lead the organising committee for the event.

In addition to the racing, which involved a series of heats to reach the finals, there were demonstrations by the Gatwick Airport Fire Service, in which students were able to try out a fire hose and also by the Sussex Police Anti-Terrorist Unit, whose highly trained dogs enthralled the children by sniffing out items of luggage containing explosive materials.

Greg said: “This was a brilliant day, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. We were really impressed with all teams’ application to the challenge and we hope it has done much to reinforce their excitement in engineering.”

“At a busy airport like Gatwick, engineering is a core skill, helping to develop and maintain our terminals, airfields and runway – and these young people are our future.”

A model airport baggage buggy called Dave, made out of a reinforced cardboard lettuce box, with hair curlers as front bumper springs and old CDs as wheels took top honours for the 7-11 age group in the 2009 BAA Challenge. Dave was built by a team of four girls from Uplands School in Wolverhampton and completed the 25 metre race track in 8.5 seconds.

The 12-19 age category was won by four boys from Wellingborough School, Northants with their buggy called Eco-Thrust. This completed a 50 metre course in 10.38 seconds.

Both teams won £400 prize money for their victories, presented by David Brewer,
Gatwick’s airport solutions director.

As part of the challenge, to design an eco-friendly, environmentally powered buggy, all teams had to make presentations to a team of judges from the airport’s engineers about the development of their truck.. The 13 teams came from all over Britain, from as far afield as Stockton on Tees to Wales and to Hastings and had been chosen from 88 initial entries.

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