STUDENTS FROM the University of Limerick took to the skies yesterday when two final-year projects in aircraft design were launched.
Two teams of aeronautical engineering students designed and constructed remote controlled subscale aircraft with a take-off weight of 10kg.
Each aircraft was designed to meet a strict specification to meet the challenge of carrying a payload of five aluminium baseball bats.
Aeronautical engineering student Brian O’Donnell is the team leader of the Cessna 172-styled aircraft, with a wingspan of two metres.
“This project allows us to use state-of-the art equipment to produce a craft using industry-standard carbon fibre materials that are lighter and stronger than materials previously available. Our design successfully carried the payload and has completed a number of test flights,” he said.
Monitored test flights took place at the University of Limerick, piloted by Alan Broderick of the Limerick and Shannon model-flying club.
Both aircraft took to the skies and successfully completed their missions.
Paul Maher, aeronautical engineering student and team leader on the biplane design, described the project as a real challenge.
“Our biplane design is based on a more traditional aircraft but modified to include the latest industry-standard composite materials. This design is really aerobatic and light and can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour,” he said.
According to Dr Trevor Young, senior lecturer in the department of mechanical and aeronautical engineering at the University of Limerick, the challenge brought the practice of aircraft design and engineering to life, and was the ultimate problem-based learning challenge for students.
The university offers the only Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering programme in the Republic.