Students were tasked with developing a concept related to the aircraft’s design, supply chain, manufacturing, operations or end-of-life care that helps increase environmental efficiency.

Charles Champion, Airbus' executive vice president, engineering and FYI patron, expressed his delight with this year’s submissions. “I am extremely impressed by the quality of work and high standards demonstrated by all the submissions,” he said in a statement. “All the finalists showed a high caliber of innovation and creativity.”

The finalists include: Chile’s “Team Condor,” which developed an aerodynamic speed brake that would regain energy for on-board reuse; Malaysia’s “Team Msia on Mars,” which suggested utilizing biodegradable materials from tree fibers to create insulation blankets; China’s “Team Wings of Phoenix,” which envisioned a wind-powered generator derived from aircraft wakes; and India’s “Team O,” which suggested using water-repelling polymer coatings to avoid aircraft icing. The fifth group, Sweden’s “Team SSE,” developed an eco-points method to encourage environmentally conscious flying.

Charles Champion

The winning team will be announced on June 23 at the International Paris Airshow-Le Bourget and will be awarded a €30,000 grand prize. However, the runners up won’t leave empty-handed, either: They will win €15,000.

Champion believes this competition encourages students to develop new approaches to aviation. “At Airbus, research and innovation are long-term priorities, and it is through innovation that Airbus keeps delivering the best in aviation and improving environmental performance of its aircraft,” he said in a statement. “The Fly Your Ideas competition enables us to engage with the aviation industry experts of tomorrow by providing a forum to inspire and motivate future talent.”