BMFA University Challenge
2008 Heavy Lift& Electric Lift Challenge
Welcome to the BMFA 2008 University and Schools Challenges.
The British Model Flying Association is the United Kingdom’s National Governing Body for the sport of model aircraft flying and as such one of its major aims is to increase interest in aviation in general through education.
The Heavy Lift and Electric Lift Challenges are competitions which require students to design, build and fly load-carrying model aircraft, piloted by radio control. These competitions are designed to stretch the abilities and talent of the students. The development of a good model requires each team to display design flair, technical knowledge and teamwork. Judging is by a panel of professional engineers. The competition has attracted very favourable comment from university external examiners.
2008 event report.
This year's event took place at Elvington airfield on the 7th and 8th of June. The event was blessed with good weather and you can read the event report here..
Introduction
The scheme was created with a view to getting students involved in aeromodelling, whilst also providing an ideal component for part of their course – the synergy between the two means that those entering complete various aspects of their academic requirements, whilst enjoying the process of model aircraft construction, right from “problem definition” to (hopefully) seeing their creation fly and perform its tasks.
There follows some words by Sir Michael Alcock, which set the scene.
"My career in aviation spans some 48 years, beginning with a 5 year apprenticeship at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough and leading on to 37 years in the Royal Air Force until the present. In all that time I have found numerous instances amongst my contemporaries that leads me to conclude that a good grounding in aviation begins with a sound understanding of the principles of flight. And the best way to achieve that understanding is through the fascination of designing, building and flying model aircraft.
I can think of many famous names amongst the pioneers of aviation who began with a love of model aircraft but none more so than the man who was arguably the greatest innovator of modern aviation, Frank Whittle. It was Frank Whittle who invented the turbo jet engine without which aviation and air travel today would be a very different business. As a young man Whittle was forever experimenting with models, an interest that surely had something to do with his own quest to find ways of fundamentally overcoming the limitations of propeller driven power plants. His life and work as an aeronautical engineer of great distinction is reason enough to inspire anyone to at least take a leaf out of his book and learn from model aviation.
Everyone needs a challenge. The Heavy Lift Challenge poses both intellectual and practical challenges. By any stretch of the imagination, designing a unique aircraft to meet the stringent specifications is a challenge to the intellect, to understand the aerodynamic principles and to optimise the various performance characteristics to give the best result. And it is certainly a practical challenge to construct the aircraft with sufficient strength and reliability to perform the contest flights in any weather.
As a life long aeromodeller I can think of no better practical challenge than the BMFA/BAE SYSTEMS Heavy Lift Challenge to inspire understanding and innovation in the science of aeronautics. "
President,
British Model Flyers Association
A report on the 2006 challenge...
A report on the 2004 Challenge