Innovation at the heart of Airbus success

For the past 40 years, innovation has been a key driver in Airbus’ success. From the A300 to the A350 XWB, I have been proud to see first-hand how Airbus never seems to stop implementing new ideas.

From 3D printing to UAVs (unmanned aircraft vehicles) and virtual reality, Airbus works with government entities, research institutions and universities around the world to find the best solutions for some of aviation’s most important challenges.

As part of its global innovation strategy, Airbus regularly challenges students to innovate for the future of aviation through its Fly Your Ideas contest, a unique global student competition designed to establish and reinforce relationships between Airbus and the next generation of innovators. Every two years, Fly Your Ideas offers a unique opportunity for students from across the globe to co-innovate with Airbus on finding solutions to real challenges facing the aviation industry, while also developing valuable skills for their future careers.

Since 2011, students from Latin America have made their region proud by placing among the highest ranks of this global competition that has already attracted more than 600 universities and 15,000 students since its inception. In 2011, Team Condor from Chile’s Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María won second place for designing an aerodynamic energy-recovering speed brake. . In 2013, Team Levar from Brazil’s University of São Paulo took the first prize for their unique air-powered baggage handling entry. And in 2015 Team Retrolley, also from Brazil’s University of São Paulo,was the first runner-up for developing a trolley to reduce in flight waste and the time it takes to collect it.

Now entering its fifth edition, Airbus will be looking for solutions that challenge the industry today or are expected to do so in the future in five new contest categories:

• Business models: What else could be done with aircraft other than transportation?
• Flight operations: How can big data be used to improve efficiency of flight operations?
• Passenger experience: How can new processes or layouts ease passenger boarding and disembarking, whilst increasing capacity for luggage?
• Design engineering: How can artificial intelligence support aircraft design and/or manufacturing?
• Manufacturing: How can manufacturing be optimised to reduce waste and ensure the sustainability of resources?

Latin America is no stranger to innovation in aviation, and I am very optimistic that students from our region will be very motivated to submit their ideas… and win. From Alberto Santos-Dumont, Brazil’s the ‘Father of Flight’ to seeing our region’s airlines transform the industry by uniting to order aircraft for better pricing, launch ‘bus to air’ business models to capture the first-time flyers and adapt into hybrid carriers to leverage ever-changing market conditions, Latin America continues to be an aviation pioneer. The environment couldn’t be more perfect for the next generation of our region’s aviation leaders to innovate the ideas that will define our industry’s tomorrow.