DWU 2026-2027 Challenge Tackles New Energy for Aviation

Students will innovate with LNG as a fuel source in aviation design challenges.

The DWU 2026-2027 challenge invites middle and high school students to apply innovative thinking to aviation's future. The theme, 'Fueling Flight Design Challenge: New Energy Systems,' focuses on using liquefied natural gas, or LNG, as an emerging aircraft fuel. High school participants will explore integrating LNG into existing aircraft, while middle school teams of two to four members will design airports that combine LNG with traditional aviation fuels. Their designs require control towers, terminals, and fuel locations, among other elements. This effort comes amid global air cargo's significant role, transporting over 62 million metric tons annually, accounting for more than 33% of global trade by value, and having an annual worth of $8.3 trillion.