UMR team finishes second in airplane event
Posted by news
For the second time in 2004, a radio-controlled airplane designed by UMR students carried the most weight in an international student-design competition, and the team finished second overall in the event.
UMR’s Advanced Aero Vehicle Group finished second out of 12 entries in the open class of the Society of Automotive Engineers’ Aero Design West Competition, held June 18-20 in Fort Worth, Texas. The UMR team finished second overall to the University of Akron. Only four of the 12 entries qualified to fly for the event.
The competition requires student teams to design and build a radio-controlled aircraft that can take off and land while carrying a maximum weight of cargo. The planes must comply with stringent design specifications. The UMR-designed plane carried more than 56 pounds during one of its five flights.
"Our goal of forming student teams such as the AAVG is to open up opportunities and create environments for students to seek fresh ideas and generate original solutions to problems," says team adviser Dr. Fathi Finaish, professor and associate chair of aerospace engineering.
In April, UMR’s AAVG also took second place in the Aero Design East Competition, held in Deland, Fla. UMR’s plane also carried the most weight in that event, lifting 44 pounds.
For the Fort Worth competition, the UMR team modified its original 15-pound aircraft, trimming it to 14.4 pounds.
With a 13-foot wing span, the aircraft incorporated unique design and construction features, including lightweight materials and high-tech hardware.
The UMR team won $500 for finishing second and received a trophy for lifting the most weight of any of the competitors. In all, 44 teams registered for the event.
