The Forever Flight Alliance to Offer Prizes for Sustainable Flight Innovation

The Lindbergh Foundation has announced a series of incentive prizes as a part of the upcoming 100 year anniversary of the legendary pilot's original groundbreaking flight. 

Opening up the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, the Foundation announced a collaborative incentive effort with the XPRIZE Foundation, the NBAA, and Prince Albert II of Monaco. The collective group, the Forever Flight Alliance, will look to quicken the transition to decarbonized aviation the same way the original transatlantic flight was made: Through prize offerings. 

The Forever Flight Alliance hopes to focus the efforts of "innovators, solution seekers, and thought leaders," on the problem of decarbonization, accelerating the move to a less ecologically-impactful industry as a whole. Nearly 100 years on, aviation has grown tremendously, but the need for invention and engineering remains. The announcement of the Alliance is just the start, though with XPrize among the partners, it would stand to reason that future developments will bring out some considerable prize money in the 7 to 8-figure range. 

"As we approach the centennial anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 New York to Paris flight, we have an opportunity that is not just a celebration, but a call to action to make aviation permanently sustainable. The Forever Flight Alliance builds on the success initiated with the Orteig Prize that incentivized Charles Lindbergh’s historic flight across the Atlantic and the Ansari XPRIZE that launched the commercial spaceflight revolution,” said Erik Lindbergh, chairman of The Lindbergh Foundation.

“Seeking to win the $25,000 Orteig prize, Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 flight caused a step-change in aviation. The power of competition through incentive prizes has been proven throughout history as a great motivator,” said Gregg Maryniak, co-founder of the XPRIZE Foundation.

FMI: www.lindberghfoundation.org