3 June 2015 - COINCIDES WITH THE GRAND PRIX DU CANADA - Aéro Montréal rewards student ingenuity in aerospace innovation

COINCIDES WITH THE GRAND PRIX DU CANADA - Aéro Montréal rewards student ingenuity in aerospace innovation

Montréal, June 3, 2015 — Aéro Montréal, Québec's aerospace cluster, in partnership with the Consulate General of Great Britain and the John Molson School of Business, today rewarded student ingenuity in aerospace innovation through "The Airplane of the Future Is in Your Hands" case competition organized as part of the "Innovation is GREAT: Engineering for Sustainable Growth" symposium. First prize went to a team from Polytechnique Montréal for its outstanding project entitled The Whale.

This competition was organized as part of the Grand Prix du Canada activities and coincided with the arrival in Montréal of the BLOODHOUND SSC, a supersonic land vehicle designed by a team led by Dr. Ben Evans, Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University and a competition jury member. This vehicle features technological advances that are being considered for incorporation in aircraft of the future.

The competition, which began on April 27, challenged engineering students at universities and specialized schools in Québec to respond to a case study aimed at developing a cargo plane concept that meets demanding technical and commercial requirements.

"It is essential that we spark the interest of the next generation in the challenges of tomorrow," says Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal. "Innovation is crucial to enable our SMEs and OEMS in the aerospace sector to offer products on the cutting-edge of technology. This is why companies such as Mecachrome Canada and M1 Composites Technology have been selected by the leading Formula 1 race teams to help them shine in competition in a discipline where precision engineering is critical. Montréal is the world's third largest aerospace capital and to remain a benchmark we have to encourage and motivate young people by holding initiatives that stimulate their intellectual abilities and business acumen."

"The British Consulate General is proud to be able to present the BLOODHOUND SSC to showcase excellence in advanced engineering, science and technology in the United Kingdom," says Nick Baker, Consul General of Great Britain in Montréal.

“The John Molson School of Business is very pleased to be involved with this initiative, adds Steve Harvey, Dean of Concordia University's John Molson School of Business. Case competitions represent an area of strength at Concordia – they shine a light on student innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, and exemplify the kind of excellence in experiential learning that we are committed to."

"These students are the next generation. It is encouraging to see their motivation and involvement in a competition like this," notes Lorenzo Marandola, President of M1 Composites Technology.

"At Mecachrome, innovation is found in the way we work and in our products. In short, it is at the heart of our business as an aerospace structures integrator," adds Martin Lescarbeault, Engineering Director, Mecachrome.

This competition aimed to emphasize not only the technical skills of the participants but also to stimulate their creativity and their ability to defend a project in front of a panel of experts. Ten teams submitted a project and four finalists were selected, representing Concordia University, the University of Sherbrooke, Polytechnique Montréal and École nationale d’aérotechnique.

About Aéro Montréal

Aéro Montréal, Québec's aerospace cluster, is a strategic think tank that groups all the major decision makers in Québec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, associations and unions.

Aéro Montréal’s mission is to mobilize industry players around common goals and concerted actions to increase the cohesion and optimize competitiveness of Québec’s aerospace cluster. It aims to foster the growth and expansion of the cluster so as to ensure that it may continue to create wealth for Montréal, Québec and Canada. For more information, visit aeroMontréal.ca