Second and third
In the advanced class, competitors are faced with designing an aircraft capable of accurately dropping a three-pound humanitarian-aid package from a minimum height of 100 feet.
After two rounds, not one team had managed to hit the target. “Many teams’ aircrafts struggled to fly at all and most could not climb to 100 feet,” says Concordia’s advanced team leader Elias Clark, a fourth-year student in Mechanical Engineering. “It was looking like it would only take one good drop from us to take home the gold.”
In the next round, both the Georgia Institute of Technology and Concordia hit the target — then Concordia again hit the mark, but Georgia missed.
In the end Concordia’s overall score, which included points for its design report and oral presentation, earned them second place in the advanced class behind the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Planes in the regular class are judged by how much weight they are able to lift while observing power, length, width and height requirements. Concordia’s team finished in third place overall behind Brazil’s University Federal de Itajubá and first-place University of Cincinnati.
The last word
Clark, who was the coordinator of the SAE Concordia Aero Design team for two years before handing the reigns over to Petrunik, says Concordia was successful this year because the teammates overcame the challenge of working together toward a common goal.
“Never have I seen a better example of looking out for each other and helping one another, especially when under high pressure,” he says. “I think what sets us apart is what lies beneath our technical prowess — our passion, devotion and team spirit.”
Concordia SAE Racing also has teams that compete in the Baja SAE Series (off-road vehicles), as well as the Formula (race cars) and Supermileage challenges.