The CAFE Foundation's homepage reports on the 2008 General Aviation Technology Challenge to be conducted at CAFE's Flight Test Center in Santa Rosa, California from August 2-10, 2008.
According to the CAFE Foundation, NASA and CAFE have partnered to create a new challenge for 2008 to advance five vital General Aviation Technologies: noise reduction, fuel efficiency, speed, safety and ease of use.
The first-ever "Green Prize" for transportation will test true "Environmental Efficiency". Aircraft competing for the Green Prize will advance all of the valuable measures of energy use; MPG as well as speed and payload.
Reducing vehicle noise emissions is vitally important to general aviation. The new GAT Community Noise Prize Challenge places a major priority on the reduction of noise emitted into the community.
Making personal aircraft safer and easier to fly is a primary goal of the new Aviation Safety Prize Challenge. This $50,000 prize will recognize achievement in implementing electronic pilot assistance (eCFI) along with rewarding outstanding handling qualities.
The $25,000 CAFE 400 Prize is a 400 mile cross-country air race over Northern California. However, each aircraft's speed result is tempered by its takeoff distance capability as well as by its fuel efficiency. Burn too much fuel in the CAFE 400 and you are disqualified.
Source: The CAFE Foundation