RIAT Junior Engineer Challenge 2026 Reaches an Exciting Conclusion

2 Jul

The RIAT Junior Engineer Challenge 2026 came to a thrilling conclusion this year at the Crows Nest, next to RAF Fairford. While circumstances meant it was not quite the final we had originally planned, it turned out to be a fantastic day packed with innovation, teamwork and plenty of engineering talent.

After months of design, building and problem-solving in schools, our finalists arrived ready to put their skills to the ultimate test. Each team brought along the aircraft they had designed and built during the in-school challenge, but the final had one more surprise in store.

Teams were given a brand-new engineering challenge: to design and construct a K'Nex tower capable of supporting their aircraft as it attempted to collect the previous payload. The task required creativity, strategic thinking and collaboration under pressure, and the students rose to the challenge brilliantly. It was inspiring to see so many innovative solutions as teams worked together to overcome the engineering obstacles in front of them.

One of the highlights of the day was another special video message from Jo Salter, whose continued support and enthusiasm for the challenge never fails to inspire our young engineers. Her words of encouragement provided a fitting reminder of the exciting opportunities that engineering and aviation can offer.

After a closely contested competition, we were delighted to crown Down Ampney School as this year's champions. Congratulations to the winning team on their achievement. We would also like to congratulate every finalist who took part. Reaching the final is a fantastic accomplishment in itself, and all the students should be incredibly proud of what they achieved throughout the challenge.

Events like the RIAT Junior Engineer Challenge would not be possible without the support of our partners. We would therefore like to extend our sincere thanks to MBDA and the RAF Charitable Trust for their continued commitment to inspiring the next generation of engineers. We are equally grateful to Jo Salter for once again lending her support and helping make the experience memorable for our finalists.

As another successful year comes to an end, we would like to thank every school, teacher, volunteer and student who helped make the challenge such a success.

The RIAT Junior Engineer Challenge 2026 may be over, but we're already looking ahead to next year and can't wait to see what the next generation of young engineers will achieve.