U.K. aerospace students to build human-powered aircraft

On 2 August 2010 aviation history was made by Todd Reichert, an engineering Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS), when he piloted a human-powered aircraft with flapping wings; the first of its kind to fly continuously; the wing-flapping device sustained both altitude and airspeed for 19.3 seconds, and covered a distance of 145  meters at an average speed of 25.6 kilometers per hour (“A first: human-powered ornithopter achieves sustained flight,” 24 September 2010 HSNW).

Reichert will soon be followed by others, as final year aerospace engineering students at the University of Bath, too, will be following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci, designing and building a human-powered aircraft as part of their degree.

The project was started by Gareth Evans from Airbus, who designed the frame for a human-powered plane but was unable to finish it due to lack of resources and space. He donated it to the University so that engineering students could complete it.

Last year, final year aerospace engineering students Dan Scarfe and Jon Cherry took on the challenge and designed and built wings for the plane using their knowledge of previous human aviation.

This year, a new group of students will build on this design to complete the plane and test it out to see if it flies.

Jon Cherry said: “I found the project really stimulating because it brought together a lot of the theoretical content of the aerospace course and applied it to an intriguing practical problem. Although man powered aircraft have succeeded in the past, it was a challenge to design and build the plane on a limited budget and within a small timeframe.”

Dan Scarfe added: “The project was hugely rewarding. The ability to both start and see an (almost) finished product at the end of six months of hard work is a rare thing for final year projects. The knowledge that our work will also inspire further years and help them develop their degrees is highly satisfying. “I look forward to being invited back for the inaugural flight and feel privileged for being able to help get the project off the ground!”

Dr. James Cunningham, Reader in Mechanical Engineering at the University and supervisor of the project, believes it will develop the necessary skills students need within this specialised sector of the engineering industry. He said:

At Bath we currently have a range of exciting engineering projects on offer, with teams of students designing and building racing cars and human-powered submarines. We therefore wanted to also offer an opportunity for students interested in aerospace engineering.

This project represents a real challenge for our students, as it combines their knowledge of structures and aerodynamics to design and build a pedal powered lightweight aircraft.

The aim is to build the aircraft using readily available low cost materials and relatively simple technologies.

The students expect to be carrying out the first test flights by Easter 2011.