Kudos are in order for the first and only community college to participate in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Design, Build, Fly Competition! Engineering Science & Physics students Scott Masi, Steven Powers, and Chris Steele were joined by Brended Flozenzier, Justin Staskiewicz, and Savion Washington in Tucson, Arizona for the 15th annual competition that took place April 15th through 17th. Team members Alex Vozzy and Justin Woodhouse were not able to make the trip, but attended “in spirit” to support their teammates.
In this competition, college students from around the world are tasked to design, build and fly a battery powered radio controlled aircraft that must complete three "missions." The first is a speed trial where the plane must complete as many laps as possible. The second mission is to carry its maximum payload in the minimum amount of time, and in the third, the aircraft must transport as many golf balls as possible in the least amount of time. All missions follow the same flight path.
Additionally, the plane must be able to fit into commercially luggage that conforms to FAA airline carry on requirements, and before each mission must be assembled and flight ready in five minutes. The final score also includes a design report (maximum length sixty pages).
After passing the technical inspection on the first try, MCC's plane "Air Caddy" flew well on the first flight, but crashed during the second mission. The team repaired the plane and successfully completed the second and third missions on the third day of competition (Sunday) placing 41st out of 82 attendees.
Taking a quote from the T-shirts of the teams at the competition, “…For most people, the sky is the limit…for us, it’s our playground…”
Bert Gamory
Engineering Science & Physics
04/28/2011 |