A TEAM of whizz kids is preparing for take-off after winning a technology competition organised by the Royal Air Force (RAF).

The RAF Engineering Competition is part of a mentoring programme designed for young people to present new ideas to benefit the force over the next 100 years.

The competition was held during the Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show in Duxford, Cambridgeshire on Saturday, September 22 that included a Red Arrows display team and historic planes the Avro Lancaster, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Grob 115E Tutor.

The goal of the challenge is to encourage the next generation to strive toward careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Ruthin Air Cadets’ 1918 squadron were shortlisted from over 50 teams from across the UK that took up the challenge to design an engineering solution relating to air and space activities, based around the themes of ‘the RAF – the next 100 years’, ‘size, weight and power’, ‘height, reach, speed and endurance’, and ‘the information age’.

Martin Johnson, head of training and delivery of the Sentinel R1 air operations, which includes the Raytheon Sentinel surveillance aircraft used by the British Army in Afghanistan, said: “Witnessing the motivation and enthusiasm of the team has been a highlight for me. I’m gaining insights from the cadets and their ambitions.

“I think with the right support, they can grow to meet their expectations and realise their potential.”