Univ of Arizona AIAA Design-Build-Fly competition testflight pictures and video

[teryn]

The University of Arizona is participating in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Student Design-Build-Fly Competition to be held in Tucson, AZ (At the Tucson Shootout location) April 20,21 and 22. AIAA is expecting 50 University teams worldwide to be competing at the event. The competition includes designing, building and flying an RC plane with payload/mission constraints on it. This last sunday we flew the Univ. of Arizona's plane at TRCC in Tucson in the presence of some heavy winds. We weren't able to put in the full weight but did fly the first time with the simulated Pitot Probe attached.

Below are some picts and videos of the plane from sunday's flight - the third test flight for the airplane....wish us luck for the competition! More info on the
competition: http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/aiaadbf/
I plan on taking pictures of the activities at the competition and will post them later.

It's been a real pleasure to work with such dedicated individuals from the Univ of Arizona Engineering Department.

Flight Test #3 Video: www.terynd.com/public/DBF-testflight-4.15.07.wmv (56 Mb WMV)
NOTE: copy the video link directly into your browser instead of just clicking on it (until I can figure out how to fix it)

[PLANKBONE]

Ahhh my home field... Still looks great. Too bad it won't be there too much longer due to all the house development in the area

Nice lookin plane.

[Dan_nO]

where is the video, it goes to the forum home page ?

[why_fly_high]

Teryn,

Good looking plane. I am the pilot for OSU. This will be my 8th DBF contest and it is a blast. I get to fly the planes while the other guys do the building and repairing.

Here is our video. We have gone through some growing pains but things have been sorted out. Anyone in the Tucson area should come by the TIMPA field. I call it engineer hucking.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0RLgx0Rwfw[/YOUTUBE]

[paffy]

Do the rules specify that the airplanes have to be in total contradiction to what is known to fly good ??

P.

[BOATNIK]

I think they are using the same design program we used on the space shuttle!?

[NCFRgal]

Teryn, I'd wish you luck, but my boy from the North Central Brian Sanik is competing on the Western Michigan team and I will be cheering for him. It is good to know that there will be other Flying Giants brothers there for him to hang with!!

Good luck to all teams and have a great time!! TIMPA is an awesome site!!

Marian

[why_fly_high]

	Quote: Originally Posted by paffy
	Do the rules specify that the airplanes have to be in total contradiction to what is known to fly good ?? P.

In a way, yes. To over simplify the rules the lighter your plane and the shorter your wingspan, the higher your score. That is why they pushed the span so much. They must also carry a 3 and a 5 pound payload depending on the mission. It is fun to fly stuff your average modeller would say there is no way that is going to fly. Fully loaded wing loading are about 60 ounces per square foot.

Dan

[paffy]

Why are the fuselages so bulky then ? Why are they so short ? You have these oversized vertical stabs and in the video, it seems like most designs have very marginal directional stability. Also, it almost seems like at certain AoA, the yaw->roll->yaw couplings are reversing the ailerons !

Why the huge vertical cabanes on of the biplanes ? Do you expect to fly in knife edge, so you can utilize it for lift ??

I have to go enroll in some aeronautical college for a semester, so I can build one

P.

[teryn]

Sorry, I fought with this for a while when I posted the message. Came up with nothing. Workaround: copy the video link directly into the browser instead of just clicking on it.

	Quote: Originally Posted by Dan_nO
	where is the video, it goes to the forum home page ?

[teryn]

why_fly_high, looks like you are going to have your hands full with that plane but it's nice to see something different. I am getting excited for the competition. I'll be out there helping the event organizers and then flying in between. I'll stop by to say Hi....

	Quote: Originally Posted by why_fly_high
	Teryn, Good looking plane. I am the pilot for OSU. This will be my 8th DBF contest and it is a blast. I get to fly the planes while the other guys do the building and repairing. Here is our video. We have gone through some growing pains but things have been sorted out. Anyone in the Tucson area should come by the TIMPA field. I call it engineer hucking.

[teryn]

Marian, thanks. It should be a lot of fun. If the Michigan team needs any help with anything, let me know (ask for Teryn)....I will be working with the event organizers. Unfortunately, I am not sure if the Virginia Tech crew will be there...We'll see.

	Quote: Originally Posted by NCFRgal
	Teryn, I'd wish you luck, but my boy from the North Central Brian Sanik is competing on the Western Michigan team and I will be cheering for him. It is good to know that there will be other Flying Giants brothers there for him to hang with!! Good luck to all teams and have a great time!! TIMPA is an awesome site!! Marian