PJ,
I doubt very much if the board dreams up activities for the sake of adding stress to the group, particularly in this course given the flying component.
You are exactly right, there are team based scenario's in the board and that is exactly why one would be given outside the board. I would be very surprised if the board doesn't prob into who did what and when did you build it etc.
Again you are right. There are public speaking activities in the board. The difference to this one is it is a prepared one. Also I'll bet as such the boys and girls are questioned on their talk. So its not just thinking on your feet. Its how much effort you put into your talk, how well you delivered it, how much knowledge you have on it and etc
Fair enough you may not see any benefit in model building as a team exercise nor deliver a prepared talk but given these are outside the board I bet the board members do.
Oneflewnorth,
lost me 180kts for 15nm = 5min, isn't that what PJ said?