Best Practices for High School Aviation Competitions

Competition drives learning. The best competitions are well organized, accessible, equitable, and rewarding. Recently, I interviewed the organizers of 3 high school aviation competitions. Below is a summary of the best practices that I gleaned from these interviews.

3 Proven Models of Aviation Competition

To understand what makes an aviation event successful, I looked at three distinct operational models across the country—ranging from single-day regional challenges to fully virtual nationwide competitions.

1. The Single-Day Regional Model: Georgia (TEFGA)

Organized by the Transportation Education Foundation of Georgia (TEFGA) in partnership with the Georgia Department of Education, this statewide event focuses on hands-on practical skills in flight and unmanned aerial systems (drones).

• How It Works: Teams of high school students gather at a central venue (such as the Museum of Aviation) for a high-energy, single-day event.

• Why It Works: Basing assessments on industry-recognized standards—such as the FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS) and Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) protocols—ensures high educational rigor. Keeping the competition to a single day eliminates hotel and overnight costs for school districts, removing financial barriers to entry.

2. The Remote Engineering Model: GAMA Aviation Design Challenge

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) hosts a 100% virtual national competition that challenges high school teams to apply aerospace engineering concepts rather than standard piloting skills alone.

• How It Works: Over a 6-week window, student teams use the "Fly to Learn" STEM curriculum, along with free X-Plane and Plane Maker software, to modify a virtual aircraft and fly it in simulated scenario tests. Teams submit a portfolio of flight telemetry, a technical written narrative, and a video highlighting team collaboration.

• Why It Works: It is completely scalable and costs schools virtually nothing. An automated software plug-in grades simulator performance in real-time to help narrow the field, while the grand prize—an all-expenses-paid trip to an aircraft manufacturing facility (like CubCrafters)—directly connects students with industry leaders.

3. The Tiered State Pipeline Model: Oklahoma (ODAA)

The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics (ODAA), in partnership with FlightSafety International/FRASCA, runs a multi-stage championship designed to engage schools state-wide while narrowing the field systematically.

• How It Works:

  • Level 1: Over 140 schools teaching the AOPA STEM curriculum administer a 50-question qualifying written exam.

  • Level 2: Qualifying teams advance to regional "quiz bowl" competitions split geographically to eliminate overnight travel.

  • Level 3: The top 12 teams advance to the state championship in Tulsa for live flight simulation rounds and facility tours.

• Why It Works: It leverages an established statewide curriculum (AOPA) to guarantee a built-in audience, while a major technology anchor sponsor (FRASCA) provides flight simulators and telemetry analysis tools for unbiased, real-time scoring.

Key Best Practices for Event Organizers

From these three models, several universal principles emerge for organizers looking to launch or refine an aviation event:

1. Anchor in Existing Organizations & Curricula: Partner with state agencies, non-profits, or trade groups (like GAMA, ODAA, or TEFGA) to gain immediate credibility and outreach. Aligning test questions with established programs like the AOPA High School STEM Curriculum or FAA standards ensures classroom relevance.

2. Design for Financial Accessibility: Eliminate financial friction for schools by keeping early rounds local or virtual, offering free software/hardware grants, and securing sponsorships to cover state-level lodging. High school students care deeply about prestige, recognition, and branded gear (SWAG)—expensive monetary prizes are not required.

3. Broaden the Scope Beyond Piloting: Incorporate drones, air traffic control, crew resource management (CRM), and aircraft design/engineering. This engages a broader student demographic and reflects the multi-faceted workforce needs of the aerospace industry.

4. Automate Assessment & Guarantee Fairness: Standardize testing conditions so every competitor receives identical briefings and scenarios simultaneously. Use scannable tests, digital rubrics, or simulator telemetry plug-ins to provide real-time scoring and remove judging bias.

5. Bridge the Gap to Industry & Higher Ed: Integrate tours of manufacturing plants, flight schools, and college aerospace departments into the schedule. Turn the competition into a workforce recruitment pipeline where sponsors and post-secondary institutions can interact directly with future talent.

Clearing for Takeoff

There is nothing quite like standing in a competition hall or watching a live simulation round and seeing young people so fiercely engaged, focused, and passionate about aviation. These students are not just participating in an extracurricular activity—they are discovering their future careers as pilots, aerospace engineers, drone operators, and technicians.

Organizing a competition requires thoughtful planning, but the payoff for your students, school, and local industry is immeasurable.

Are you an educator, administrator, or industry stakeholder looking to launch or expand a high school aviation competition in your region? Contact me. I'm happy to share free resources that we have for planning your event.