Design, Simulate, Build, and Fly a Heavy Lift Aircraft

The SAE Aero Design West Competition challenges undergraduate students to design, build, and fly (DBF) an RC aircraft with maximum passengers and luggage possible. Power is limited to 1,000 W, maximum takeoff weight is 55 lbs, and maximum wing span is 12 feet. ERAU’s SAE DBF team, Eaglenautics, was founded in 2017 with the intent of applying computer simulations to DBF activities, emphasizing the use of modern engineering methods such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), aircraft optimization, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). These methods support and validate the aircraft design process while utilizing ERAU’s Advanced Computing and Simulation Laboratory’s High-Performance Computers (HPC), allowing students to effectively meet or exceed the given challenges, save time, and conserve money and effort. Effectively designing and manufacturing a heavy lift aircraft and competing with other groups will give students practical experience in solving engineering problems, as well as providing them with experience and knowledge necessary to contribute to larger projects. The Eaglenautics team has designed a 40lb, 12-foot wingspan aircraft carrying 36 tennis ball passengers with 18 lb. of steel-plates as luggage. The team will compete at the April 2019 SAE Aero Design West competition in Van Nuys, CA. POSTER PRESENTATION EAGLE PRIZE AWAR