Flying Futures
Back to the Vulcan Future! Flying Futures is taking off...
Following the huge success of ‘Think like an engineer’, Maker{Futures} has successfully secured another Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious award to develop Flying Futures. The project looks back at excellence in engineering through the lens of the Vulcan XH558 and explores the future of a more environmentally sustainable aerospace industry.
The project
We are working with our partners at the Work-Wise Foundation to develop roadshow activities for primary schools and public events from June 2022 to July 2023. We will recruit 15 local engineers who will work alongside the Maker{Futures} and Work-Wise teams to develop exciting, hands-on activities for primary children and deliver them to schools across the region. Each practical activity will incorporate problem solving, creativity and collaboration to address the big questions facing the aviation industry.
The legacy
Our engineer volunteers will work directly with children, inspiring the next generation of engineers and makers. We will engage with families and schools to strengthen perceptions of engineering as an attractive, valuable and accessible future career option for all children.
Big Questions
Air travel is known for being expensive, uncomfortable and stressful. More significantly, emissions from aviation are a significant contributor to climate change. We are asking children to consider the future of air travel and how it could be improved…
How can we make planes more fuel efficient?
How can we make sure our luggage gets to the correct destination?
How can we use technology to reduce jet lag?
What alternative fuels could we use?
How can we eat a hot meal of our choice, 6 hours into a flight?
How can we breathe cleaner air on a flight?
Should we bring back supersonic passenger flights?
How can we make flying a more immersive experience?
Flying Futures in numbers:
15 local engineers
10 new Maker activities
15 local primary schools
3 public events
3600 children
95 school staff
18 activity days.
Did you know?
The term 'aerospace' comes from the words aeronautics and spaceflight.
Get involved
What is Ingenious?
Ingenious is an awards scheme, run by the Royal Academy of Engineering, for projects that engage the public with engineers and engineering. The scheme is supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Ingenious programme aims to:
inspire creative public engagement with engineering projects
motivate engineers to share their stories, passion and expertise with wider audiences and develop their communication and engagement skills
raise awareness of the diversity, nature and impact of engineering among people of all ages and backgrounds
provide opportunities for engineers to engage with members of the public from groups currently underrepresented in engineering.