Engineering Students Design Model Aircraft
Posted February 19, 1999FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Engineers Week, February 21-27
York, Pennsylvania--Three senior mechanical engineering students at York College of Pennsylvania are competing in a collegiate contest by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). They built a radio controlled model aircraft with a ten-foot wing span. On February 18, 1999, they had there first trial run, and it was a success.
The SAE Aero Design East Competition requires engineering students to design, build and fly an aerodynamic model that lifts the most weight at the lowest cost. The contest takes place at the beginning of April in Daytona, Florida. This project will fulfill the requirements of the engineering curriculum: students must participate in some sort of engineering undertaking to satisfy the requirements of the Senior Design Course under Professor Douglas Walcerz.
The three students make up the "Heavy Lift Aircraft Team" and although the course started in January, design and construction began back in November 1998. The students have to do more that just design, build and fly the aircraft, they are also responsible for financing the materials for the aircraft. Fortunately, they have received several donations from various local businesses.
The team used many aeronautical reference texts along with a three-dimensional graphics package to create a vivid virtual model. The drawing can be rotated in any dimension to be inspected, and modifications can be made quickly. The program creates drawings of the aircraft that are used to facilitate construction.
"This project requires students to perform engineering design work and calculations as well as planning the financing and presentations. These characteristics are exactly like what a practicing engineering will see in the real world. This type of industry-like setting helps give students the knowledge and experience they need to become more successful leaders of tomorrow's work force," expressed Mike Hudson, one of the three engineering students.
National Engineers Week, a consortium of more than 100 engineering scientific and education societies and major corporations, has helped increase public awareness and appreciation of technology and the engineering profession.
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