Story ID: 608
P&W’s GoFly Contest Nearing Last Phase
By: James Wynbrandt
Caption: Winner of contest to build VTOL personal flying device to claim $100,000 Disruptor Award.
Word Count: 244
As part of its global GoFly Prize competition, Pratt & Whitney (P&W; Pavilion 344) hosted a reception at the Paris Air Show for the Netherlands’ Team Silverwing, winner of the first two of the three-phase contest. GoFly challenges entrants to design and build a personal flying device capable of taking off and landing vertically and traveling 20 miles without refueling.

Silver Wing’s entrant, the S1, an electrically powered autonomous vehicle, has a pod that seats one adult and two ducted fans. A scale model of the S1 flew in Phase 2 of the contest.

Launched in 2017, the GoFly contest aims to inspire and create the next generation of aerospace innovators and bring some of their spirt into the organizations funding the competition. P&W and Boeing are the primary sponsors.

“The GoFly competition is a natural fit with Pratt & Whitney’s constant desire to innovate and transform the future of flight,” said P&W senior v-p of engineering Geoff Hunt. “The teams are truly disrupting what is possible.”

Entrants are still being accepted for the contest, and teams have access to mentors from the sponsoring organizations to provide technical advice and other assistance. Phase 3 will culminate in a gala public final fly-off, expected early next year. A total of $2 million (€1.78 million) will be awarded to participating teams in a variety of categories, with the $100,000 Disrupter Award going to the winning team.