DUBAI, UAE, 31 January 2024: 202 students from 24 UAE schools made a splash at Emirates Aviation University’s seventh Water Rocket Competition, held in collaboration with Boeing.
Students in grades 11 and 12 from schools across the UAE built rockets using materials at hand. Each year, the challenge for participants is to launch water rockets at a 45-degree angle, powered solely by water and air pressure. Students design creative nose cones and fins for enhanced impact protection. They also learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle during the competition. This year, teams had two hours to complete the task and were given two attempts to launch their rockets.
Emirates Aviation University vice-chancellor Professor Ahmad Al Ali said: “Emirates Aviation University is committed to innovating and fostering creativity in young minds. Our annual Water Rocket Competition is not just exciting for the student community; it’s also an opportunity to bring together the country’s best and brightest young minds, challenge them, and encourage them to think about STEM careers. Watching students brainstorm, collaborate, and construct these rockets is an eye-opening experience every year. We hope they are inspired to become leaders in science and engineering.”
Boeing president in the Middle East, Türkiye, Africa, and Central Asia, Kuljit Ghata-Aura added: “From launching the Arab world’s first uncrewed mission to Mars to signing the Artemis Accords, the UAE is rapidly emerging as a leader in space exploration. At Boeing, we have been part of every major US endeavour to escape Earth’s gravity. We are excited to continue to partner with Emirates Aviation University to inspire a new generation of aerospace scientists and provide students with the opportunity to learn new technical skills from Boeing engineers during the competition.”
Following the water rocket launches, the judging panel from Emirates Aviation University and Boeing announced Eagle 1 from Islamiya English School, Abu Dhabi, as the winning school after the team launched their rocket to a distance of 99 meters. Eagle 2 from Islamiya English School, Abu Dhabi, secured the first runner-up position with 93 meters, and OOW – Volts from Our Own High School, Dubai, followed as the second runner-up with 92 meters.
The annual competition aims to inspire young aeronautical enthusiasts by combining creativity with the principles of rocketry and flight.
About Emirates Aviation University
Since its founding in 1991, EAU, the education arm of the Emirates Group, has established itself as the region’s leading educational institution for aviation studies. The university offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs in aeronautical engineering, aviation management, logistics & supply management, aviation safety, and aviation security studies. Over the past three decades, EAU has experienced remarkable growth, expanding its facilities, faculties, learning resources and earning global accreditations, including recognition from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, UK.
EAU also provides a six-month internship program with the Emirates Group for students with exceptional academic performance. For more information, visit https://www.eau.ac.ae/en.
