A Northrop Grumman employee demonstrates how to launch a model aeroplane before a student competition in Abu Dhabi.
A Northrop Grumman employee demonstrates how to launch a model aeroplane before a student competition in Abu Dhabi.

Students send their dreams aloft in UAE model-plane contest



Model aeroplanes made of foam board and powered by tiny electric motors whizzed above a sandy lot in Abu Dhabi this week in a contest that was about much more than fun and games.

The region's first known model-aeroplane competition for students put a spotlight on the role of engineering in training the country's future workforce as the UAE heads towards industrialisation.

"The UAE is growing and it needs huge numbers of engineers in the years to come," said Dr Tayeb Kamali, the vice chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), under whose auspices the competition was held.

HCT, a nationwide university system, intends to expand the event country-wide next year and include competitions for unmanned systems on land and at sea.

The US aerospace and defence company Northrop Grumman, which has supplied the Emirates with military command and control systems, was the main sponsor. The UAE is such an important market for US technology that Northrop, which reported revenue of US$34.7 billion (Dh127.45bn) for last year, was represented by its chief executive, Wes Bush, who flew 11,300km to attend the event. Northrop hopes to win contracts with the UAE for unmanned helicopters and early-warning aircraft.

"Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are the foundations of every successful nation," Mr Bush told participants.

Some 70 students from HCT's men's and women's colleges participated in the competition as members of teams with names such as Snow Birds, Sigma-Six, Special Commands and Spirit of Al Ain. They were assisted by Northrop engineers who were seconded to the project over the past four months, advising on aircraft design and fabrication, and classic dilemmas in flight such as speed versus endurance. The top award went to the model aircraft with the best combination of the two.

Analysts said the event highlighted the effort by foreign aerospace companies to cultivate ties with the academic establishment as the UAE military leverages its purchasing power, directing its foreign suppliers to transfer expertise and technology into the Emirates.

"The vision of the UAE is creating a hub for industrial technologies, and this event is all about investing in manpower and adding a bit of fun to it at the same time," said Riad Kahwaji, the chief executive of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, which co-sponsored the event.

It is hoped that some of these students will pursue aerospace careers and help seed an industry being created in Al Ain, where already a plant is making aircraft parts for Airbus. With rapid industrialisation being implemented by the Abu Dhabi Government, the aerospace industry is competing for top domestic talent against other high-tech fields emerging locally such as nuclear energy, semiconductors, telecommunications and clean energy.

In November, a top executive at the US aerospace company Raytheon vowed he would offer a job in the company's local operation to any UAE national graduating from a domestic engineering programme.

"Raytheon and its partners in the UAE industry would hire every engineer that comes out of school," said Kevin Massengill, Raytheon's vice president for the Middle East and North Africa. Citing the difficulties in recruiting qualified local graduates, he referred to a local defence-related project that needed 150 Emirati engineers but could muster only seven.

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.

Get Out

Director: Jordan Peele

Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford

Four stars

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The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

How green is the expo nursery?

Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery

An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo

Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery

Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape

The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides

All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality

Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country

Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow

Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site

Green waste is recycled as compost

Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs

Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers

About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer

Main themes of expo is  ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

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The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

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