RAeS Awarded UK DfT Fund for More Inclusive Skies

The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) has been selected as one of 11 recipients of the ‘Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund’ by the Department of Transport (DFT) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for the Falcon 2 STEM outreach programme.

The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) has inspired many generations of aviation, aerospace and space enthusiasts into various careers. The RAeS aims to inspire younger generations through a variety of STEM education and outreach programmes. For many the dream to fly or undertake a career in aviation and engineering are not easy. Promoting an inclusive aviation and aerospace industry of tomorrow, raising awareness of disabilities and accessibility needs is what the RAeS most recent outreach programme Falcon 2 aims to achieve.

The Falcon 2 programme is a STEM outreach challenge for young students aged 6-19 years. The programme provides an opportunity for underrepresented groups, especially students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, to design, conceptualise and build an accessible mobile flight simulator as well as increasing disability awareness. The aim of Falcon 2 is to create a learning platform for all students to collaborate with their peers to address accessibility issues in the aviation and aerospace industry, paving a way for the future workforce to provide unique solutions to current limitations, all whilst experiencing the wonder of flight.

“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,” Transport Secretary Mark Harper. “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.”