Aerospace Challenge triumph for Tonbridge boys

Three Tonbridge boys have been named as winners of the Schools Aerospace Challenge 2018.

Matt Barker (PS5), Jasper Driessen (WH5) and Tommy Rochussen (SC5) participated in the final round of the competition, held at Cranfield University, after which their team was awarded a top three position.

Just 12 teams from across the country won the right to take part in the highly prestigious national finals. In order to qualify, entrants had to write a report detailing some innovative technologies that the RAF could use in the future.

As well as winning £1000 for the school, the boys will have the opportunity to present their ideas to the RAF’s Chief of Air Staff in an event taking place at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in November. At that time, the boys will also receive their final ‘positions’ in the competition.

A second team from the school, consisting of Alvaro Marco, Jason Wong and Andrew Slater (all PH5), also made the national finals. 

Phil Deakin, the school’s Head of Physics, said: “The week at Cranfield was a great experience for all the boys, and in many ways this was the main prize. Boys attended lectures given by top figures from the aerospace industry, and activities included indoor skydiving and in-flight experiments in a ‘flying laboratory’. Everyone who made the finals can be very proud of their achievements.”

The competition is sponsored by several leading engineering companies, as well as by the RAF and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

In addition, Tonbridge team ‘Rocketon’ also performed well when taking part in the international final of the UK Youth Rocketry competition. The team, made up of Freddie Lacey (PS2) and Cameron Dymond (OH2), had won the national finals back in the summer, and came fourth in the international event held at Farnborough Airshow.

The boys, who built and successfully launched their own rocket, competed against teams from France, USA and Japan.