Team Albatross — SAE Aero Design 2019
This article consists of my experience in Team albatross and at SAE Aero Design 2019, Fort Worth, Texas.
What is SAE?
SAE International initially established as the Society of Automobile Engineers and later becoming the Society of Automotive Engineers, is a U.S.-based, globally active professional association and standards developing organization for engineering professionals in various industries. Principal emphasis is placed on transport industries such as automotive, aerospace, and commercial vehicles.
What was our project?
Our mission statement was to build a model aircraft capable of carrying a payload. Being specific, we had to carry the maximum number of balls — the passengers — and corresponding to the number of balls, their respective payload — their luggage. This was closely related to any the real world aviation scenario, as the scoring system solely relied on the number of balls or the passengers the aircraft will be carrying. If the aircraft carried a lesser number of balls or there were more seats left empty while the aircraft took off, the score could get close to zero, or in the real world, the company might end running in loss.
The aircraft was named Behemoth (You can check our team’s page here), it was our second Regular class aircraft participating overseas. Behemoth was a very needy project which required diligent working in manufacturing for acute precision — a necessity for airborne mobility — and numerous hours at our labs brainstorming to get the most efficient combination of motors and propellers.
The competition
Team albatross participated in the SAE Aero Design East competition held at Fort Worth, Texas with 75 other International teams.
The Classes
There are three classes, in which teams can participate in Micro Class, Regular Class, Advanced Class. As the name suggests these classes are the type of aircraft, making Advanced class comprising of intricate missions and the Micro class involving a smaller aircraft to construct.
The Aim was similar for all the classes i.e. to carry a maximum number of Passengers — the balls, of course — for a flight round or to drop off supplies in a particular area, in the case of Advanced class.
We stood 10th in the flight rounds and 27th Overall in the world, with 2 successful flight. Flying in texas isn’t a cakewalk. We had one of the best pilots who also happens to be a Design Engineer at Lockheed Martin,
David Hudson who has appreciated our design and propulsion.
Learnings
This was the 2nd year of us participating in the international competition and we did fairly well. The critical learnings from this experience were:
Teamwork
Without Teamwork, this competition would have not been possible, working on a project of a dimension of 2.4 meters to 1.6 meters is no easy job to do, we were four of us assigned just for the assembly of the aircraft.
Critical Thinking
The infamous Texan crosswinds led to many accidents at the time of competition, Some of them crashed dead on the runway and some of them in the lake nearby. We knew our aircraft’s capacity, it was just we had to decide the right combination of empty seats to get a positive score. After three unsuccessful flight rounds, and nearly crashing our aircraft, we finally saw Behemoth flying.
Adaptability
We were a team of fifteen — three girls and twelve boys — self-sponsored individuals travelling on a budget for two weeks. This left us no choice but to share rooms, rides and food too, to save a few bucks. The only way out was to adapt, e.g. sleeping in turns so that while some team members work on the aircraft some take the necessary amount of sleep.
The Competition was once in a lifetime experience. Representing VIT Vellore and India is surely one of the highlights from my college life.
How can you participate?
You can participate in this intercollegiate competition, which takes place twice every year which are; SAE Aero Design East and SAE Aero Design West.
Pre Requisites for the competition:
- You have to be a member of SAE International.
- You have to be a college student.
- A visa to the U.S.A. is a must for international students.
- A Bonafide from your current institution stating your enrollment.
You need to register for this competition a couple of months beforehand and need to abide by every rule in the Official SAE Aero design rule book, released every year.
Check the website for more detailed information.
