Recraftin' T' Future o' Aerospace Recent publications from t' Aerospace Industries Association note that, "America's requirement for workers who are well educated in science, technology, engineerin' and mathematics (STEM) is fallin' far short o' anticipated need. Avast, me proud beauty! Trends are discouraging, and interest is lackin' among American youth. Ya scallywag! We simply aren't producin' enough engineers and non-engineerin' technical workers, such as hands-on manufacturin' labor. Aye aye! Without dramatic change, matey, these needs will go unmet, t' future o' t' American aerospace industry will be bleak and t' consequences for t' nation will be extreme." T' Aerospace Industries Association o' America (AIA) be founded in 1919, only a few years after t' birth o' flight. Well, blow me down! Since then, their mission has taken on myriad forms, but their efforts each year t' attract t' best and brightest t' careers in Aerospace via t' Team America Rocketry Challenge are potentially some o' t' farthest reaching. Arrr! Through TARC, they nay only inspire today's youth t' t' look t' t' stars, but they help t' craft a future for them and a nation. Begad! ANN had t' chance t' sit down with Audrey Koehler, Manager, o' t' 2010 Team America Rocketry Challenge t' see how this amazin' competition got its start, how it is conducted and t' what t' future holds. Ahoy! T' challenge changes from year t' year... Ya scallywag! This year, student teams were challenged t' design, me hearties, build and launch a model rocket t' an altitude o' 825 feet with a flight time o' 40-45 seconds, shiver me timbers, as well as return a raw egg payload t' t' ground unbroken without a parachute. Arrr! T' contest is sponsored by t' Aerospace Industries Association and t' National Association o' Rocketry. Well, blow me down! Lockheed Martin Corporation provides $5,000 scholarships t' each o' t' top three teams, ya bilge rat, and t' top 20 teams also received an invitation from NASA t' participate in its Student Launch Initiative, an advanced rocketry program. Avast! Other sponsors include t' Defense Department, t' American Association o' Physics Teachers and AIA member companies. AIA created t' Team America Rocketry Challenge in 2003 t' celebrate t' centennial o' flight and t' generate interest in aerospace careers among young people. Since its inception, more than 50,000 youths have participated in t' contest. Copyright 2010, ya bilge rat, Aero-News Network, Inc., All Rights Reserved. FMI: www.rocketcontest.org, shiver me timbers, www.aia-aerospace.org, me hearties, www.aero-tv.net, me bucko, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews