There are some exciting new developments this year as more schools are getting involved - including Parkes High School - with Moomba Birdman Rally allocating schools their own category to compete in, giving students opportunities to be more involved in the competition.

This is the fourth year PCS has attended the event and after a win in the Flying Class section in 2017, the students are excited to try their hand at claiming the title again.

“The furthest we have ever flown is 11 metres, this was enough to take out the Flying Class trophy for longest flight of the day in 2017,” Design and Technology teacher Jason Wynstra said.

“We have an extremely dedicated team working on our aircraft ‘Double Trouble’ this year.

“Entering the Moomba Birdman Rally has become a fun and exciting way for our Design and Technology students to engage with their classwork in a practical way, with the students now taking the competition very seriously."

Mr Wynstra said a major component of the Design and Technology syllabus is problem solving.

"So this competition is a great opportunity to explore that,” he said.

“As a teacher I’ve found it amazing to watch the students work out a creative way to solve the problem of creating a biplane light enough to fly into the Yarra River off a small platform, yet sturdy enough to safely support the pilot."

Students have been involved in the design, engineering, construction and testing of the aircraft to get it ready for the March 10 event. The senior students used STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills to help them create a top-quality aircraft.

“Other tasks our students will engage in involve pre-flight setup and assistance, piloting, and conducting media interviews and releases," Mr Wynstra said.

PCS students will travel 10 hours from Parkes to Melbourne to take part in this unique experience.

“We are committed to providing real-world experiences for our students rather than just burying them in textbooks and theory,” High school coordinator Greg Ballantyne said.

“It’s a far better way for students to learn and they share an experience they will never forget.”

Students will also be involved in fundraising, this year with PCS being the focus of fundraising efforts to help send students down to the event.

If you would like to help send the team to the Moomba Birdman Rally, giving them the opportunity of a lifetime, you can do so by donating at https://birdmanrally.gofundraise.com.au/page/JasonWynstra0

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