1 February 2023
More than £700,000 of government money is going to eleven non-profit aviation organisations as part of the Department for Transport’s Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund.
The winning organisations will use the money to fund outreach programmes and events to show the next generation what opportunities the aviation sector can offer and boost interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and other critical roles.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said when announcing the awards, “Innovation propels aviation and for it to face up to tomorrow’s challenges it needs an open and diverse workforce that can bring fresh ideas and ways of working.
“Our Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund recipients will be key to that, inspiring the next generation into the sector and helping to build an aviation workforce fit for the future.”
The eleven winning organisations are:
Nuncats £129,740
STEM Education and training centre – electric aircraft engineering. Funding will allow completion of the remaining phases of their Electric SkyJeep Academy Programme, which helps showcase, engage, inspire and educate a new generation by providing practical and inclusive opportunities.
Aerobility £109,183
Equal Skies Charter. The project aims to increase accessibility of the aviation industry ensuring that everyone has equal access to the employment, products and services it offers. They will work with partners across the industry to raise the level of understanding of what disability is and what accessibility means to their organisation.
Air Cadets 172 squadron £29,474
Restoration of a Scottish Aviation Bulldog aircraft by cadets to be used as a ground instructional airframe, and as an interactive experience for the public at national air shows and local/national events. The DfT is specifically funding this restoration and restoration of two Typhoon simulators along with an integrated air traffic control station.
Royal Aeronautical Society £55,000
Falcon 2 programme – a STEM outreach challenge for young people aged 6-19 years. It provides an opportunity for students with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to design, conceptualise and build and accessible mobile flight simulator. Raises disability awareness and the final simulator will be donated to Aerobility for use at specialist schools and public events.
British Gliding Association £85,584
BGA Go Gliding Project: inspiring young people to explore careers in aviation by raising their awareness using gliding activities and role models to showcase leadership, teamwork, technical skills and opportunities. Improving inclusion and diversity amongst under-represented groups by demonstrating the possibility of aviation careers for individuals of all backgrounds.
The Air League £50,000
Supporting their Soaring to Success programme – a careers enrichment programme that bridges the gap between education and industry. The programme aims to inspire, enable, and support the next generation to consider a career within aviation and aerospace. It also aims to increase and improve social mobility through the inspiration and realisation that these opportunities and possibilities are accessible and achievable by anyone.
Specifically, the funding will help support up to 35,000 spaces on the programme and up to 1,100 in-person flying and engineering taster days and employability workshop opportunities targeted at individuals from lower socioeconomic groups.
Resilient Pilot £100,000
They will develop an integrated virtual blended mentoring, coaching and competency focussed career pathway programme for 11-18 year old students aligned to ICAO’s Next Generation Aviation Professionals Programme and DfT’s Generation Aviation.
Stemettes £74,525
She’s Sheila Scott – Delivery of aviation related STEM learning in 30 primary schools to showcase aviation related skills, role models and career pathways. It will engage over 350 primary aged young women and non-binary people.
WW1 Aviation Heritage £24,000
Flight Simulator STEAM Programme – 1915 Flight simulator to primary schools. They will expand their existing programme from 12 to 48 schools.
Flight Crowd £40,000
Propel into Future Flight bootcamp – one-week boot camp designed to empower young people aged 14-18 to pursue a career in sustainable aviation. They will design and present a future electric aircraft, developing problem-solving, computer modelling and team working skills. The project will span three regions of the UK attracting under-represented communities to the future flight sector through a range of interactive workshops and informative industry-led sessions.
YES – Youth & Education Support (LAA) £8,830
Using an airframe of a Primary Glider and a team of young people, rebuild this glider to flying status, teaching the students the theory, practical, hands on and life skills needed to complete the project. Flying will be possible on a ground based tripod simulator or, with qualifications, in the glider itself.
