Honeywell innovation contest inspires aerospace students
Honeywell Aerospace, a major provider of aircraft hardware and avionics systems, held an award ceremony for its second annual aerospace innovation contest in Beijing on Aug 9.
Called the Honeywell Star Student Contest, it incorporates three topics: the use of mobile devices in the aviation industry, hardware and software system design of drones, and technology solutions for automatic code generation.
The contest puts up three prizes — most creative, best result, and best handling ability.
About 30 students participated in this year’s contest. Four students from three teams won the prizes after presentations in the early and final rounds.
“You have to rely on (big) companies like Honeywell if you really want to take your ideas to market”, said Zhang Zhenhui, a prize winner from the Civil Aviation University of China.
Zhang decided to compete in the contest for two reasons: First, he said there are not many aerospace contests in China, and Honeywell is such a big name in the industry that it offers a good platform.
Second, Zhang said that he had no choice but to let Honeywell know his ideas, so that they are more likely to be marketable in the future.
Zhang added that other research projects he did in the past helped him realize how difficult it is to get air-worthiness certification — a ticket one has to get before ideas can become reality.
“Boeing and Airbus are the primary plane makers, so they set the standards. If they say you do not meet the standards, you don’t”, said Zhang. “You cannot sell the products outside your country without meeting the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) standards.”
According to Zhang, he learned to think and design from the users’ point of view by participating the contest. It also widened his knowledge of the newest research and development achievements.
Wang Yifan, another prize winner, from Northwestern Polytechnical University, said he expects the contest will help him gain more experience and help with future career decision-making.
He said that he got more inside knowledge about how international companies operate in China through the contest’s organization and management, and from visiting Honeywell’s Beijing office.
“By providing support, guidance, and opportunity to talented university students, we can contribute to the future of China’s aviation industry”, said Bob Smith, chief technology officer for Honeywell Aerospace and vice president of engineering & technology. According to Smith, the contest will be a long-term program.
Honeywell International Inc, the parent firm of Honeywell Aerospace, entered China in 1935. It moved its Asia-Pacific regional headquarters from Singapore to Shanghai in 2007.
The firm also set up offices, labs, manufacturing sites, subsidiaries and joint ventures in over 20 cities across the country, with more than 11,000 employees.
In China, Honeywell’s aerospace business boasts four joint ventures and one wholly-owned facility, delivering repair and overhaul services on APU, SCAS, avionics, wheels and brakes, as well as manufacturing engine and environmental control system components.