Students from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil win Airbus Fly Your Ideas Global Competition

AsiaNet 53406

LONDON, June 15, 2013 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

     Air powered baggage handling concept claims top prize

    To see each finalist concept brought to life, click here

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5H8-mK6DkM&feature=youtu.be ].

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130614/621707-a )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130614/621707-b )

    A team of students from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil have claimed

the top prize of EUR30,000 as winners of Airbus Fly Your Ideas 2013. Team Levar

won with their proposal for a luggage loading and unloading system for airplane

cargo compartments to reduce the workload of airport baggage handlers with an

air cushion solution inspired by air hockey tables. Supported by UNESCO, Airbus

Fly Your Ideas is a biennial competition which challenges students worldwide to

develop ideas for a more sustainable aviation industry.

    The winning team is comprised of Marcos Philipson, Leonardo Akamatsu,

Adriano Furtado and Caio Reis, all studying design at the University of Sao

Paulo, and Henrique Corazza studying at Loughborough University in the UK.

    The runner-up prize of EUR15,000 went to Team CLiMA from the Royal

Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia, for their proposal to develop

aircraft fuelled by a blend of sustainably produced liquefied biomethane and

liquefied natural gas (Bio-LNG).

    This third edition of the competition saw over 600 teams from around the

world submit a proposal responding to one of six challenges set out by Airbus

for aviation in the 21st century. Over 60 Airbus assessors evaluated the

submissions for quality, environmental benefits, and for the level of

innovation demonstrated by the team.

    The final was held earlier this week at the A380 Final Assembly Line in

Toulouse where just five remaining teams presented their disruptive concepts to

a prestigious jury led by Charles Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President

Engineering. Team Levar convinced the jury with a powerful presentation which

brought their idea to life.

    Charles Champion said: "Team Levar's response to the competition has been

fantastic, with a truly innovative proposal for an air cushion solution

inspired by hockey tables. They have taken a really broad view of how to

improve the aviation industry as a whole, not limiting their ideas to aircraft

alone but also considering ground operations and they are deserving winners.

According to the students, passengers could collect their luggage 30% faster,

start their holidays sooner, and luggage handlers would be put under less

physical strain. This kind of idea is fundamental in ensuring the aviation

industry continues to drive forward to a more sustainable future."

    Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, said "The diversity of these

students' ideas is a huge source of inspiration. Their talent also serves to

remind us of the urgent need to train more engineers, to develop the skills and

competences needed to translate ideas into reality and put science into

practice. This is UNESCO's ambition and one of the objectives of this

partnership with Airbus is to inspire more innovative ideas for our future, in

sustainable transportation and even further"

    In addition to the prize money the students now look forward to welcoming

experts from Airbus' innovation cell onto their campus for a week of workshops

and training later this year.

    The winning team will be at the Le Bourget Paris Airshow Monday 17th June

at 15:00 in the EADS Pavillon.

    SOURCE: Airbus