Aug 14, 2007

David E Steitz/Stephanie Schierholz Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1730/4997 david steitz@nasa gov, stephanie schierholz@nasa gov

Annie Seeley CAFE Foundation, Santa Rosa, Calif 707-526-3925 brien@cafefoundation org

RELEASE: 07-199

NASA NAMES WINNERS OF PERSONAL AIR VEHICLE CHALLENGE

WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded $250,000 to participants of the Personal Air Vehicle competition, one of the seven NASA Centennial Challenges The competition promotes the use of self-operated, personal aircraft for fast, safe, efficient, affordable, environmentally-friendly, and comfortable on-demand transportation as a future solution to America's mobility needs

Four teams competed for overall best performance and prizes for noise reduction, handling, efficiency, short takeoff, and top speed The contest took place Aug 4-12 at Charles M Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Sonoma, Calif At no cost to NASA, the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency Foundation, known as the CAFE Foundation, administers the challenge The foundation is a nonprofit group of flight test engineers in Santa Rosa, Calif

The award recipients are:

• Vantage Prize, $100,000: Vance Turner of Rescue, Calif , owner of a short-wing Pipistrel piloted by Michael Coates
• Noise Prize, $50,000: Dave and Diane Anders of Visalia, Calif , owners and pilots of a RV-4 aircraft
• Handling Qualities Prize, $25,000: John Rehn of Santa Rosa, Calif , owner of a Cessna 172, piloted by Jeff Stocks
• CAFE Efficiency Prize, $25,000: Vance Turner
• Short Runway Prize, $25,000: Vance Turner
• Top Speed, First Prize, $15,000: Dave and Diane Anders
• Top Speed, Second Prize, $10,000: Vance Turner The challenge will continue annually for four more years This year's competition establishes baselines for more difficult standards next year, when the total prize money will increase to $300,000 The total prize money provided by NASA for all five years is $2 million

Centennial Challenges is an element of NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program The challenges promote technical innovation through prize competitions to support NASA's plan to return to the moon and journey to Mars For more information about the Innovative Partnerships Program and Centennial Challenges, visit:

http://www ipp nasa gov/cc

For more information about NASA and other agency programs, visit:

http://www nasa gov

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