Airframe Proposal - Wright State University



43rd AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference Student Design Challenge

Proposal Submittal

[pic]

Team Members Faculty Advisor

William Bennett Dr. Scott Thomas

Jayme Carper

Nicholas Hankinson

Michael Sheridan

Keith Vehorn

Stephen Warrener

Points of Contact:

Dr. Scott Thomas Email: scott.thomas@wright.edu

Phone: (937) 775-5142

William Bennett Email: bennett.26@wright.edu

Executive Summary

Objective

The objective at hand is to design, fabricate and fly a radio controlled airplane to accomplish a given mission. For the 43rd AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference Student Design Challenge, the mission is to positively identify ground targets through the use of a live video link as well as implementing systems that allow for the generation of electrical power while in flight. The competition specifies the airfoil to be used; the wing dimensions, and the total weight of the airplane may not exceed 15 pounds. The aircraft must be able to take off in less than 200 feet. Given these design constraints the team must choose a design that will maximize the aircraft’s abilities to complete the above stated mission.

Design Process

The first step in this design process is to determine the performance requirements of the aircraft. This analysis determines whether an electric motor or a glow plug engine would power the aircraft. The results of this comparison have shown that the better option for this aircraft would be to use a glow plug engine. This option has the added benefit of serving as a source of mechanical energy that can be used to generate electrical power. Once the power plant was selected, its location on the aircraft needed to be determined. Since the primary requirement of this aircraft is surveillance, a rear-mounted engine is an excellent option. By mounting the engine and propeller in a pusher configuration, residue from the engine exhaust will not foul the optics located in the nose of the airplane. This open nose configuration also allows for power generation equipment to be placed forward of the center of gravity, balancing the aircraft. The aircraft will utilize a twin tail boom configuration.

Once a design concept is developed, construction methods become the next decision. Two primary methods considered are fiberglass construction and a wooden frame covered in sheeting. The fiberglass represents an attractive option. It has the advantage of repeatability and uniformity as well as strength. The disadvantage comes from the equipment and skills necessary to make such construction successful. The advantages of a wooden airplane are that it is simple to construct and cost effective. A covered, wooden frame airplane has some disadvantages in regards to the fact that no two airplanes built would be identical. Many of the team members are knowledgeable in the construction of a wooden frame airplane. For this reason the aircraft submitted for this competition will be constructed using a covered wooden frame.

The surveillance and power generation systems represented distinct design challenges. For both systems a large number of options were considered. Significant work was done in researching surveillance options. The camera will have to be small and lightweight with video resolution capable of displaying the desired target from approximately 300 feet. This led to the selection of the Black Widow KX141 camera system. This camera could be statically mounted on the airplane. This will require the pilot to make all video corrections by moving the entire airplane. The team decided to design a dynamic camera mount that can be controlled independently from the control of the aircraft. This provides a significant increase in the capabilities of the video system.

The power generation system on this aircraft will consist of an alternator that will draw power directly from the glow plug engine. This alternator is capable of delivering up to 500 watts of power. This system represents the greatest power output as well as the lowest weight. Other alternatives included: hydrogen fuel cells, solar power and Peltier devices. All of these systems were rejected due to their large weight, inefficiency, or low power output.

Design Highlights

This aircraft will utilize lightweight materials and simple construction techniques. This design can also be implemented using the fiberglass mentioned above if mass production were desired. The surveillance system will be capable of operating in the harsh environment of combat operations and the dynamic mounting system increases the ability of the aircraft to detect targets. The alternator system will provide considerable reliable power that will be capable of operating many different payloads. The combination of these design features represents an aircraft uniquely suited to the mission requirements.

Management Summary

The team is composed of one graduate student and five undergraduate students. All team members either have experience in or an interest in model aviation. Team members were assigned to work on specific portions of the design and proposal, such as: airframe, propulsion, power generation and surveillance. If the Wright State University team is selected to participate in this competition, responsibilities for design and construction of the airplane will be divided amongst the team members according to the tasks outlined in Figure 1. The progress on the project and the evolution of the design will be tracked by use of individual lab notebooks and regular meetings.

[pic]

Figure 1: Timeline for Task Completion

Technical Approach and Innovation

Given the design criteria, the team decided that the airframe needs to offer stability at both high and low speeds, provide an excellent camera perspective, and be sturdy enough for “field” use in a military application. A system flow diagram can be seen in Appendix B.

Airframe Design

The proposed design is a twin boom pusher style aircraft with a high wing location, and tricycle landing gear. Per contest specifications, the wing will have a constant 15-inch chord length and a 78-inch wingspan. With a dihedral of 5 degrees, it will provide stability and make the aircraft smooth and predictable in flight. The tail moment will be optimized at 32 inches to provide the necessary down loading to counteract the pitching moment of the main wing, yet this number is small enough to reduce weight as much as possible and improve pitch control. It was decided to make hinged control surfaces slightly over sized to enhance slow flight capabilities. A full flying stab, which is intrinsically air and mass balanced, will reduce stress on the linkages and reduce power consumption during high stress maneuvers. The lower workload on control linkages will extend component life and improve reliability. The combination of short tail moment and high stab location also provides adequate angle of rotation on takeoff. The ailerons and rudders are independently actuated for redundancy in case of a failure. A simple tricycle landing gear is tall enough for prop clearance and incorporates a steerable nose gear for positive taxi control. The airframe design was established with 3D foil software in order to accurately set the incidences and predict tail moment lengths that produce adequate stability. The Nicolai White paper has also been utilized to estimate takeoff distances and ensure performance specifications are met. A sketch of the airframe can be seen in Figure 2.

[pic]

Figure 2: Proposed Airplane Configuration and Dimensions.

Airframe Construction

The two construction methods considered by the team for the aircraft were composite fiberglass and built up wooden components. The airframe can be constructed in either fashion entirely, or a combination of methods could be utilized.

Composite construction will entail manufacturing male molds out of foam or wood and constructing a shell of hand laid fiberglass or vacuum bagging it in a machine. A thickness of either 0.030 inches or 0.050 inches has been quoted as an adequate wall thickness for the airframe components (Stone, 2006). The composite technique has many benefits including uniformity, strength and innovative appeal. Due to the smooth contour of the skin, drag is reduced and components such as the wing are completely uniform across the entire span. Unlike wood construction, the skin does not sag in between ribs, and the smooth outer surface is part of the load bearing structure rather than a filler. A colored finish can be sealed directly to this surface, thus making it impervious to nicks and scratches because the paint is part of the structure. Fuselage sections made of fiberglass are largely hollow, leaving generous space for the placement of equipment and allowing parts to be shifted for balance purposes. This is essential when installing the array of electronics and equipment to be used on this project. A composite airframe will be easy to reproduce once a final design mold is established, and all pieces produced with the same mold will be completely compatible with previously built aircraft. This will make major component repairs easy, and a rebuilt airframe will not weigh more due to added epoxy and wood used for repairs as in a conventional wooden design.

A conventional balsa airframe is also a viable option for the construction of the vehicle. The primary benefits of this method are low weight, speed of manufacture, ease of repair and economy. A wooden airframe could utilize contest grade wood, saving weight and lowering the overall wing loading. This type of balsa is between 4 and 6 pounds per square foot. Low weight is essential because several other subsystems on the aircraft are heavy and take up a considerable amount of the overall weight budget. The construction speed for building wooden models is very quick and repairs can be made easily if necessary. If a portion of the structure is found to be weak it can be fixed and testing can continue. Finally, constructing a wooden aircraft is very economical, requiring no specialized machinery or manufacturing processes. This allows more money to be used towards improving other systems on the aircraft. A comparison of stiffness and cost is shown in Figure 3. This figure shows that both wood and fiberglass construction offer similar strength and cost, while a carbon-carbon composite construction will increase strength but at a significant cost penalty.

[pic]

Figure 3: Material Strength versus Cost Comparison.

Currently it has been decided that the preliminary models will be built with conventional wooden techniques. All testing will be done and modifications will take place as necessary on the inexpensive prototypes. If the final prototype is satisfactory to the Air Force, it can be transitioned to either fiberglass or carbon composite construction for mass production.

Power Plant

A single air-cooled 1.20 cubic inch glow engine will be mounted in a pusher configuration between the two tail struts. This location prevents any exhaust residue from accumulating on the imaging equipment. The oversized engine allows excess power to be utilized in the electrical power generation system and provides optimal performance for short field operation and accelerated climbing with substantial payloads. A soft engine mount system coupled with a well-balanced composite propeller effectively reduces vibration and further enhances the surveillance image quality. The propulsion system will be addressed later in detail. Cost and technical specifications for the engine can be found in Appendix C and Appendix D.

Surveillance System

Optics can be installed anywhere in the large forward fuselage for an open view of the ground eliminating any obstruction from a tractor propeller. The engine and flight control systems will be located at or behind the center of gravity; therefore, heavy payloads can be accommodated in the forward cabin while still maintaining proper balance. A chameleon eye camera mount will give the optics full adjustability in order to provide the most complete view of the ground and make target monitoring easy and efficient. In addition to the aim able camera mount and electronic copilot will be employed to ensure the aircraft is level during the photo passes. Cost and technical information regarding this item can be seen in Appendix C and Appendix D.

Weight

The proposed aircraft will be constructed using largely conventional model aircraft techniques, so a direct comparison to similar large models is relevant. After discussing power systems, it appears that an OS 1.20 AX glow plug engine will be the power plant used. Great Planes currently offers a Big Stik ARF with an 80-inch wingspan that is designed for the same motor. With a suggested weight of 13 to 15 pounds, it is moderately loaded and very aerobatic. The final weight of the project plane will vary greatly depending on the equipment used and the types of auxiliary power systems that are incorporated, but a proposed takeoff weight of around 14 pounds will be ideal. Although a much lighter aircraft could be constructed, a moderate wing loading will help in rough weather situations. The wing for the aircraft will have exactly 1170 square inches of area and will weigh 224 ounces, so the wing loading for the aircraft will be substantial at 27 ounces per square inch. Weight will be a primary concern in all systems such that a more ideal, lower loading might be obtained. Weight specifications can be seen in Table 1. Manufacturers’ information regarding some of these components is shown in Appendix D.

Table 1: Airframe Component Data

|Item Description |Item Weight (ounces) |

|OS 1.20 AX Engine |23 |

|5 Servos |4.9 (6.3 w/ flaps) |

|Receiver Battery |5.3 |

|Receiver |1.07 |

|Wheels |.5 |

|Engine Mount |1.5 |

|Fuel Tank |5 |

|Control Linkages/Misc. Equipment |8 |

|Airframe Bare Weight Total |96 |

|Power Generation Systems |64 |

|Surveillance System |12 |

|Aircraft Total |221.3 (13.8 lb) |

Propulsion/ Power/ Surveillance Systems

Propulsion System

For the propulsion system that will be used on this airplane both direct current (DC) electric motors and internal combustion glow plug engines were considered. The parameters considered in making the comparison were: total system weight, available power, and the ratio of power to the total system weight.

The first step in this process was to determine basic aircraft propulsion requirements. Using experience gained from the SAE Aero Design Competition the team was able to determine that this airplane would need to be able to generate approximately 5 pounds of thrust to meet the 200-foot takeoff limit if the plane weighs the competition limit of fifteen pounds. Given this information it was then possible, using a propeller performance program, to calculate the amount of power necessary to produce the required thrust. Over a large range of propeller options it was found that the power plant will need to supply a minimum of 1.4 horsepower in order to meet the takeoff requirement. This enabled the team to narrow down the potential power plants being considered for this airplane.

The power plants considered for comparison are shown in Table 2. Glow plug engines from OS Engines and electric motors from AXI were both examined.

Table 2: Power plants Considered for Comparison

|Engines |Electric Motors |

|OS .46 AX |AXI 5330/24 |

|OS .50 SX |AXI 5320/28 |

|OS .61 FX |AXI 4130-20 |

|OS .91 FX | |

|OS .65 LA | |

|OS 1.20 AX | |

|OS 1.4 RX-P | |

Data was collected for the above power plant options. In addition to the weight of the given motor or engine, the corresponding hardware and materials required for operation were added into the system weight. For the electric motors this included, a speed controller, a sufficiently sized battery, and a motor mount. For the glow plug engines the additional items included the following: fuel tank, twelve ounces of fuel, muffler, servo to actuate throttle, linkage, and an engine mount. This information was compiled and the above-mentioned parameters of system weight, power output and power to weight ratio were computed. The power plant combinations with the greatest power to weight ratios are displayed in Figure 4.

[pic]

Figure 4: Comparison of Selected Power plant Options

The OS 1.20 AX will be selected for the initial proposal. This engine gives the highest power to weight ratio. In addition to having the highest power to weight ratio it also supplies a significant amount of surplus power. This allows for the opportunity of power being pulled off the engine to drive an alternator used for the power generation system.

Power Generation System

Many independent systems have been considered for the design of this airplane. The primary measurement used for the comparison of these systems was the amount of electrical power the system is capable of producing divided by the weight of the system and any additional required components. The systems considered in this design are: solar cells, Peltier devices, hydrogen fuel cells, air driven alternators and engine driven alternators. A detailed discussion of each of these devices is to follow.

Traditional solar cell technology is not an option for this design due to its excessive weight. However, the team was able to find a new generation of solar panels. The thin film flexible amorphous silicon cells offer a viable option. The device produces 0.0145 watts per square inch. No data concerning the weight of the devices were available. Given the fixed dimensions of the wing and the twin tail boom configuration of the airplane, the available area to be covered by this film would be less than 1000 square inches. This results in a total available power output of approximately 14 watts. Due to the small total power output and the complexity of incorporating a large number of these solar cell devices they will not be considered for this design.

Peltier devices are capable of generating electricity from heat. By subjecting the opposing surfaces of the device to a temperature differential, the compound between the surfaces generates electrical power. The greater the temperature differential the greater the power output up to the maximum operating temperature limit of the device. They offer a solid state cooling system for use in environments where a conventional refrigeration system is not feasible. This process is bi-directional; meaning if electricity is applied to the device, a temperature differential will be created on the opposing faces. This is the primary application for these devices. The Peltier devices were considered in two applications. The first application focused on using the body of the engine itself to create the desired temperature differential. The inherent problem faced in using this device would be mounting them to the engine in a manner that would not interfere with operation and provide an effective means of heat transfer to sustain the required temperature differential.

The second application being considered will be in the cooling of electrical components associated with the engine-powered alternator discussed below. These devices are often marketed for use in conjunction with finned heat sinks to cool electrical devices. The rectifiers associated with converting the AC current produced by the alternator to usable DC current generate substantial heat. When combined with the voltage regulation system the units require some type of active cooling. The largest drawback of the Peltier device is its efficiency. When utilizing the devices to scavenge electricity from the heat generated from the electrical components, the output efficiency is approximately 5 percent. Therefore, to attain the desired power output of 30 watts, the electronics would need to output 600 watts. Due to this inherent inefficiency, the Peltier devices will not be considered for this project unless more efficient models are found.

Hydrogen fuel cells represent a very attractive future in energy generation in that they produce no emissions that are harmful to the environment. A team at the Georgia Institute of Technology has recently developed and flown a remote controlled airplane that was powered completely by hydrogen fuel cells. The fuel cell system was capable of generating 500 watts of power. This powered the plane through a one-minute flight. The airplane utilized a 22-foot wingspan with a very high aspect ratio. The team also developed a very sophisticated custom fuel cell system for this aircraft. Commercially available fuel cells are still large devices and would require multiple units to develop the necessary voltage required for this airplane. Due to the very small power to weight ratio of commercially available hydrogen fuel cell systems, they will not be considered for this airplane.

Air driven alternators represent another option for power generation. Small turbine blades could be attached to the input shaft of an alternator. As the airplane reaches its cruising speed the turbines spin the alternators, in turn creating electrical power. This system could either be mounted in nacelles on the wing or internally with an air inlet similar to a modern jet powered aircraft. Another alternative to the above mentioned applications would be to use the exhaust gases from the engine to spin a turbine attached to an alternator. This would function much like a turbocharger on an automobile. In order for these alternators to achieve 50 watts of output power they would need to be spinning at over 8000 RPM. For this reason it is decided that these devices will not be used on this aircraft

A generator driven by the glow engine represents the most viable method of power generation for this airplane. The selected glow engine provides a power source with a very high power to weight ratio. Given the performance characteristics of the selected engine, there will be sufficient extra power available to drive a generator. Sullivan Products custom fabricates generators that are designed to be integrated with a glow plug engine. The company is able to design systems for a wide range of power delivery applications. The alternator selected for this design will be capable of producing approximately 500 watts of electrical power. Generating that much power at the competition specified twelve volts results in a current load of over forty amps. Due to this fact the rectifiers associated with converting the AC current into DC current as well as the voltage regulation components must be capable of handling a very high current load. This increases the size and the weight of all the components associated with the system. The heat output associated with operating devices at this high current is significant. Active cooling or air ducts will have to be considered to maintain a safe operating temperature of all electrical components. The manufacturer specified the total alternator system will weigh approximately 3.25 pounds. This yields a power to weight ratio of 154 watts per pound. In a real world mission environment, this alternator would be capable of supplying sufficient energy to power a significant number of sub-systems or payloads associated with surveillance and aircraft operation. Cost and technical information for the alternator system can be found in Appendix C and Appendix D.

Video Surveillance System

The video surveillance system presented a unique set of design challenges to the team. The system must be able to positively identify two stationary targets on each pass of the endurance flight. Given the mission requirements of a 275-foot ceiling this identification may be accomplished with a fixed mount camera. However, the team decided to build a system that will allow the camera to utilize pan and tilt while in flight. A working model of the pan and tilt system can be seen in Figure 5 below.

[pic]

Figure 5: Aimable Camera Mount Prototype

The ability to aim the camera while in flight was seen to be a significant benefit to the team. This allows for the pilot to be as much as fifty feet to the left or to the right of the targets and the camera can be aimed to keep the target centered in the field of view. The pan and tilt system is powered by two standard RC plane servos and will be controlled by a separate operator on the ground. Competition administrators have specified a baseline camera system that may be used. The model LWA13 camera system from is being tested by administrators and is being considered. This camera will integrate into the designed pan and tilt system easily. In addition to this camera, the team has considered adding a low-light option to the aircraft optical system. This will include either a night vision camera or an infrared camera.

The model LWA13 camera system is advertised to a range of a quarter mile. To increase the effective range of the system, modifications to the receiver station may be made. By increasing the receiver sensitivity and utilizing an active receiver, the operational range of the camera system can be greatly increased. In addition to this work, operating parallel transmitter antennas on the airplane will also increase the transmitter effectiveness. Other methods of increasing range could be utilizing a panel antenna on the airplane and a directional receiver antenna.

Black Widow AV also provides many options for the video system. Model KX141 in particular is being considered due to its many advantages over the LWA13 system. The KX141 weighs just ½ ounce and has a higher picture quality over other systems. Also, the lenses available for this model allow the team to experiment with fields of view ranging from 19 degrees to 120 degrees. These options will allow the video camera to be best suited for the mission objectives.

With the ability to aim the camera independent of the airplane, the proposed options to increase the systems range, this video surveillance system is well suited to the mission requirements of the US Air Force. With the use of GPS guidance systems, this airplane could be launched and fly on a predefined flight path. The camera would allow for a single operator to track and identify targets while the airplane maintains its flight path.

Design and Fly-Off Accomplishments

Through their participation students will develop many useful skills and be introduced to working on a team and the pressure of meeting deadlines. Students will also begin to understand the magnitude of taking on such a project and the amount of time and effort associated with it. This gives the students exposure to what engineering is like in industry and how vital team communication skills are to a project of this magnitude.

Being able to effectively communicate in a team environment and work together to achieve the desired outcome are vital skills that will be developed. These skills will help the students to understand the importance of listening to new ideas and how to accept ideas that may be different from their own. By being able to understanding another team member’s point of view, the team will be able to efficiently and effectively work through hardships. This skill is so vital to engineering teams because without this skill the project at hand will surely fail and the team will waste time, money, and effort.

Students will develop a true camaraderie through participating in this project. This type of environment shows what each member’s individual strengths and weaknesses are. Being able to identify strengths and weakness is very vital when it comes time to divide tasks amongst team members. Being able to identify where a person can be utilized to their highest efficiency and potential is incredibly important from a manager’s standpoint. By acquiring this skill the students will be very valuable to an engineering team when it comes time to join an engineering firm.

For this competition, the students have already had to extensively research many viable systems, engines, and different types of aircraft to assure the purpose of the chosen items will fulfill the design and teams needs. For example, in researching a potential engine for the aircraft, 10 different configurations were researched thoroughly and after the data was compiled, and the most useful and versatile engine was chosen. The ability to research parts that will most effectively and efficiently accomplish a desired mission is something that is very important to an engineering team and its success in any project.

One of the most important lessons to be demonstrated to students is that design is an iterative process. Rarely does a design work perfectly on its first run. Modifications are made along the way as unforeseen problems are brought forward through testing. On something as complex as an airplane there are a multitude of areas that can be overlooked in the initial design and it isn’t until the plane is tested that those problems can be identified. It may take multiple iterations to work out all the problems in a system but this is often the way products are designed in industry. It is through this process that a truly capable aircraft can be developed that will meet all its specifications.

The design and fly-off will prove to be an excellent way for the students to attain skills that are needed on today’s engineering teams. This will not only help them to do well in this competition but it will also help them to do well in the working world after graduation. This design and fly-off will more than prepare the students for success after college.

Intellectual Merit

Both graduate and undergraduate students have the ability to gain an immense amount of knowledge by working on this unique AIAA competition. This type of project allows a student to develop skills over the span of the project. These skills will not only help them during their education, but follow them out into the job-market as well.

While completing the project, the students will develop essential skills in the development of communication skills and the ability to work as a team. This interaction is necessary to develop a successful and competitive team while strengthening the relations between students and faculty. The interaction with professors help the students to expand their scope of the topics by seeing first-hand the possibilities that exist after graduation and the possibilities associated with pursuing further education.

In addition to the team development skills mentioned above, students will be introduced to practical engineering management. These skills include: proposal writing, notebooks, division of labor, and time management. Such skills are sought after by employers. Again it is illustrated how the abilities gained through the participation in this competition will help the students in their engineering career.

Design Effectiveness and Flight Characteristics

As the potential impact and cost effectiveness of the airplane are taken into account, the team considered a multitude of different design possibilities. This process involved different wing configurations, engine placement, materials and electronic components. The design stressed maximum flight stability at high and low speed, maneuverability, power generation, video quality and simplicity. For this AIAA competition the aircraft must incorporate these characteristics to be successful. The Wright State University entry will make use of such attributes.

This airplane will make an ideal compromise between such government surveillance aircraft such as the Exdrone and the Pointer. This competition is meant for low altitude and moderate endurance but with slight changes in electronic and fuel holding capabilities, the airplane will be capable of performing between the operating envelopes of these government aircrafts.

The two government aircrafts previously mentioned require numerous ground operators at multiple flight stations. The Wright State entry utilizes only two ground controllers to carry out mission objectives. Surveillance and flight operations will be handled independently by the two ground controllers. In comparison to the governmental projects, the designed aircraft would require fewer personnel and lower operating costs than the current military programs.

The Exdrone aircraft has a full payload weight of 89 pounds, while the Pointer has a total payload of 8.5 pounds. For this design, competition weight balsa wood will be used in construction. With a weight cap of 15 pounds, our plane is an ideal compromise of these two airplanes.

Limitations on the radio system restrict flight operation to one mile. To further the operating limits of the aircraft, long-range navigation systems, such as a Global Positioning System, could be integrated into the flight control system. Satellite transmission could also be used to transmit video to a ground station from long range.

The anticipated components for the aircraft were researched and the results are compiled in Appendix C. The system totals are listed in Table 3.

Table 3: Proposed Systems Costs

|Flight Controls Total |$577.81 |

|Propulsion Total |$264.99 |

|Airframe Total |$175.47 |

|Surveillance Total |$706.73 |

|Power Generation |$3900.00 |

|Sub-Total |$5625.06 |

|10% Misc. |$562.50 |

|Sum Total |$6187.57 |

The chosen components were selected based on performance. They represent high quality construction and reliability. Based on previous experience constructing similarly sized aircraft, the above totals represent a very close estimate of the aircraft cost.

Team Qualifications

Faculty Advisor: Professor Scott K. Thomas had led four Senior Design teams (2004, 2005, 2006) to compete in the SAE Aero Design East Competition, and has worked in the AFRL Propulsion Directorate at WPAFB for 12 years as a contractor on thermal management issues for aircraft.

William Bennett: William Bennett is a graduate research assistant in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Wright State University. His research involves advanced propulsion technology for aerospace applications. William was a member of the Wright State University SAE Aero Design East team, entering in the Micro Class. As team captain William led Wright State to a first place finish in their first year in the Micro Class. William has worked locally at Heapy Engineering. He was a part of a team responsible for very large building projects and will bring that experience to work for this team.

Stephen Warrener: As a model aircraft hobbyist, Stephen Warrener has been constructing, flying and designing his own model aircraft for 6 years. He is an accomplished R/C pilot and has flown models ranging from small electrics to pylon racers and 30% scale, multi-thousand dollar competition level aerobatic aircraft. Over the last two years, Stephen has worked on an independent research project involving adaptive wing structures in which he designed, built and tested an 8.5’ scratch built UAV with telescopic wings. As a first time competitor in the Intel Science and Engineering Fair, Stephen competed in the regional, state and international levels with this project, winning eleven awards and $58,000 in scholarships and prizes. These awards included a first place at regional, third at state, and a second overall in engineering at the grand awards for the international competition. Stephen’s responsibilities in the AIAA project will be in the engineering and construction of the airframe, and will also serve as the team’s pilot.

Keith Vehorn: Keith Vehorn has participated in the hobby for the last year and just recently finished constructing his first airplane. Keith has always been involved in R/C and learning the conceptual principles of flying. His best aspects come when building something is complemented by his love and knowledge of physics. Keith graduated in the top twenty percentile of his high school class and hopes that his building skills can be of use to the team.

Jayme Carper: Jayme Carper graduated as Valedictorian from his high school class of 230 students. During the last few years, Jayme has had plenty of experience building different contraptions.  He has built a hovercraft, a moped for the Science Fair, and a pair of gas-powered roller blades.  Jayme was able to make it to the State Science Fair with his moped, where he received a superior rating.  He also received a $40,000 Science and Mathematics scholarship to the college of Wooster. In the last year and a half, Jayme has grown an interest in flying model airplanes and was finally able to get the planes out this last year and begin working on another plane, the Big Stik 60.

Michael Sheridan: Michael Sheridan is a 2nd year student with a cumulative GPA of 3.84. He works for Advint, Advanced Integration, as a design intern. He has worked on various engineering projects and has one half year of solid CAD experience. He graduated in the top 15 percentile of his high school class. He has a love for working with his hands and building something from scratch. His skill and ability to learn quickly will be of good use to the team.

Nick Hankinson: Nick Hankinson graduated in the top 10 percentile of his high school class and was a National Honor Society member upon graduation. Nick is currently enrolled in the Honors Program and was placed on the Highest Deans List with a GPA of 4.0 in Spring Quarter of 2005. Nick was also part of Civil Air Patrol in Columbus, Ohio where he was educated with the concepts of the airplane and was given an opportunity to fly a commercial airplane in Encampment, a form of boot camp where cadets were taught team work, survival, uses of military equipment, and self-discipline. Nick’s squadron graduated Encampment as the number one squadron for cleanliness of barracks, self-appearance, and squadron formation.

Appendix A: Bibliography

1) McCormick, Barnes W., Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics, John Wiley, New York, 1979

2) Simons, Martin, Model Aircraft Aerodynamics, Special Interest Model Books, Great Britain, 2002

3) Anderson, John D. Introduction to Flight, McGraw-Hill, Boston, 2000

4) Tower Hobbies,

5) Dr. Leland Nicolai, Estimating R/C Model Aerodynamics and Performance, Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Company, 2002

6) Lennon, Andy, Basics of R/C Aircraft Design, Air Age, USA, 1996

7) Lone Star Balsa,

8) Fox, R. W., McDonald, A. T., & Pritchard, P. J. (2004) Introduction to Fluid Mechanics: 6th Edition. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

9) Model Motors, modelmotors.cz/index.php?id=en&nc=domu

10) Ferguson, Colin R., Allan Kirkpatrick, Internal Combustion Engines, John Wiley, New York, 2001

11) Point Aircraft, irp/program/collect/pointer.htm

12) Exdrone Aircraft, irp/program/collect/dragon.htm

13) Pamadi, Bandu N, Performance, Stability, Dynamics, and Control of Airplanes, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA, 1998

14) Ben Stone, Personal Communication Oct. 2006

Appendix B: Systems Flow Chart

[pic]

Appendix C: Detailed Price Listing for Aircraft Components

|Electronics List |  |  |  |  |

|Part Number |Part |Price |Quantity |Source |

|S3102 Micro MG |Servos |$37.99 |6 | |

|LXAKM9 |Receiver |$129.99 |1 | |

|CPD4 |Co-Pilot |$109.95 |1 | |

|LXBFK716 |Crystal |$12.99 |1 | |

|LXCSX2 |Servo 40in Extensions |$10.99 |2 | |

|LXCSX1 |Servo 20in Extensions |$7.99 |2 | |

|LXH340 |NiCd Reciever Battery |$49.99 |1 | |

|LXH462 |Switch |$8.99 |1 | |

|  |Electronics Total |$577.81 |  |  |

|Airframe List. |  |  |  |  |

|Part Number |Part |Price |Quantity |Source |

|LXHW66 |MonoKote M. Green |$54.99 |1 | |

|LXHW69 |MonoKote M. Gold |$54.99 |1 | |

|LXHX86 |Trim Kote |$2.49 |4 | |

|1/16 (12 by 12) |Three Ply Plywood |$1.98 |10 |lonestar- |

|1/16 (4 by 48 ) |Balsa |$2.41 |37 |lonestar- |

|3/8 by ¾ 48in |BassWood Sitcks |$1.12 |4 |lonestar- |

|3/16 square 48in |Balsa Sticks |$0.21 |4 |lonestar- |

|¼ square 48in |Balsa Sticks |$0.34 |20 |lonestar- |

|LXAZF2 |Wheels 3" |$6.99 |1 | |

|#126 |Landing Gear |$49.95 |1 | |

|LXLGJ0 |OS 1.20 AX |$264.99 |1 | |

|  |Airframe Total |$440.46 |  |  |

|Surveillance List. |  |  |  |  |

|Part Number |Part |Price |Quantity |Source |

|S3110 |Futaba Servo |$14.99 |2 | |

|  |Balsa |$3.79 |1 |lonestar- |

|R114F |4 CH Receiver |$34.99 |1 | |

|  |Crystal Set |$12.99 |1 | |

|4YF |Transmitter |$99.99 |1 | |

|NR4J |4.8v NiCd battery |$16.99 |1 | |

|AV KX141 |Black Widow |$199 |1 | |

|KX141 |(5)Lenses for Black Widow |$120 |1 | |

|  |Transmitter for Black Widow |$189 |1 | |

|  |Surveillance Total |$706.73 |  |  |

|Power Generation |  |  |  |  |

|Part Number |Part |Price |Quantity |Source |

|S675-300 |Sullivan Alternator |$3,800.00 |1 | |

|  |Misc. Electronics |$100.00 |1 |  |

|  |Power Generation Total |$3,900.00 |  |  |

|  |Sub-Total |$5,625.06 |  |  |

|  |10% Misc. |$562.50 |  |  |

|  |Sum Total |$6187.57 |  |  |

Appendix D: Aircraft Material Information

[pic]

[pic]

[pic]

[pic]

[pic]

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download