Society News
IT FLIES USA returns for its tenth anniversary
Last year Merlin Flight Simulation Group was unable to hold the IT FLIES aircraft design and handling competitions due to the Covid-19 situation.
This spring, on its tenth anniversary of IT FLIES USA, The University of Dayton proposed that we run a ‘virtual’ competition, whereby students would submit their aircraft designs as usual – these would be flown and assessed on Dayton’s MP521 simulator. April 2021 saw feedback provided to the teams from the test pilots, Gary Konnert and Frank Delsing via a Zoom link. Gary and Frank are both members of the SETP Great Lakes Division.
The second placed prizewinners: Jacob Montgomery and Calvin Callahan from the University of Dayton.
Likewise, the teams submitted a ten-minute project presentation in advance of competition day for assessment by Len Pohlar and Troy Hoeger, members of the Society of Flight Test Engineers, the judges of that section.
From Merlin’s perspective I really missed meeting all the student teams at Dayton but, due to the impeccable organisation from the university, the day ran very smoothly.
Some universities have not had access to their simulation laboratories during the Covid crisis – and Gary Konnert, one of the test pilot flying judges, commented that: “the students did an outstanding job of design given the limitations this year.”
The competition resulted in a win for Manchester University student, Hanif Shakiba, who designed a single engine, subsonic, high wing early 1950’s jet fighter-bomber for the USAF. He said that the existing aircraft that were influential to his design included the F-86 Sabre, and the Hawker Hunter.
The winning design from Hanif Shakiba, Manchester University.
Second place went to the University of Dayton’s team of Jacob Montgomery and Calvin Callahan, who designed ‘Switchblade’, a light reconnaissance aircraft – with a variable wingspan and designed to be optionally piloted.
The winners of the Project Presentation Section were the Mississippi State University team of Jake Freer, Garret Harris, Parker Ford, Chris White, Ajayi Asishana, Joseph May, Mathew Ayala and Noah Wilson who entered ‘Big Bertha’ – a high capacity short-range transport aircraft.
The event was sponsored by Merlin Flight Simulation Group and The Aviation Historian magazine.
I think that Jacob Montgomery from the University of Dayton summed the whole event up pretty well:
“Thank you to all people involved in this competition, from the innovators at Merlin to the gracious test pilots and fantastic educators from every university. This project has given us real-world experience that is unmatched in the aerospace research field!”
Marion Neal
Marketing Director Merlin Flight Simulation Group
www.merlinsim.com