Why we need your
help…
The 2014-2015 Union College Aero Team
has high expectations for this year, as this is
the first time Union’s Aero Team will have
two electrical engineers and an electrical
engineering advisor (John Spinelli, Ph.D.) on
board. With a mandated electric motor, the
team will now be able to optimize the
amount of force generated from the
aircraft’s power plant. Because of this
addition as well as the three experienced
mechanical engineers, the team has set a
maximum payload goal of 29 pounds – the
first place result at last year’s competition.
In order to achieve their goal, the team is
requesting additional funding from generous
sponsors. Below is a breakdown of the
team’s anticipated budget for the year.
BUDGET
Competition Registration
Modelling Materials
$750.00
$300.00
3D Printing Plastic
Telemetry Systems
$525.00
Sensors + Camera
Controls
$500.00
Servo Motors + Linkages
Propulsion System
$764.00
O.S. Motor, 6S LiPo Battery + Wiring
Building Material
$3000.00
Balsa/Microlite Wood, Adhesives, Aluminum, etc
Shipping:
Travel
7 plane tickets to California + Lodging
TOTAL
$200.00
$6,500.00
$12,539.00
Sponsorship Packages
All sponsors will be rewarded with benefits
2 – 4 shown below. Donations exceeding
$100 will be eligible for benefits 1 – 4, in
accordance with the Sponsorship Package
Table.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Signage prominently displayed on
the airplane at competition
Name prominently displayed on all
documentation
E-mail updates on progress
Invitation to 2015 SAE West
competition\signed picture of the
team with the finished airplane
o Your contribution is taxdeductible to the extent of
applicable law
o Your contribution may be
matched by your employer
depending on company policy
2013-2014 Union College Aero Team Competition Plane
Sponsorship Package Table
Package
Platinum
Donation
$1000 & more
Gold
$500-$1000
Silver
$200-$500
Bronze
$100-$200
Benefit
Platinum Gift
Large 16”x10”
Company Decal
Medium 8”x6”
Company Decal
Small 3”x5”
Company Decal
Contact/Mailing Address
Union College SAE Aero Club
Attn: Matt Wenner
807 Union Street
Reamer Campus Center Box 2181
Schenectady, NY 12308 USA
Email: [email protected]
2014-2015
UNION COLLEGE
S.A.E. AERO
COMPETITION
TEAM
COMPETITION
2015
SAE Aero Design Series
We are…
A student organized club at Union College in
Schenectady, New York that participates in
the Society of Automotive Engineer’s
International Aero Design Series. The
competition entails designing a large-scale
remote controlled aircraft around specific
parameters. Union College has participated
in this competition since 2004, with students
collaborating and doing independent
research to compete against other schools.
Outside of researching, designing, and
building, the club puts together events that
promote the application and learning of
engineering
skills.
Aircraft
design
competitions, aircraft build days, individual
lessons, and trips to aero museums are just
several examples of what the club does
throughout the year.
2014-2015 Aero Team
2014-2015 Aero Team
Major: Mechanical Engineer
Focus: Structural Systems
Josh will be designing the
airframe of the wing and the
fuselage of the plane. This
includes working with balsa
wood, ultracote, aluminum and
various adhesives to build the
overall structure of the plane,
with concentration around the wing and fuselage.
Funding is required to order these materials to ensure
an optimal design. Joshua hopes to learn more about
engineering and designing planes within a group setting
as the structural engineer of this project.__________________
Major: Mechanical Engineer
Focus: Aerodynamics & Stability
Matt will be ensuring a high level
of stability and aerodynamic
efficiency through the design of
surfaces
and
successful
integration of the various
systems: auxiliaries, landing gear,
structures,
propulsion
and
telemetry. Matt is also in charge of allocating the
aircraft’s center of gravity—a property critical to the
plane’s airworthiness. Matt hopes to learn about aircraft
design and apply it post-graduation as a design engineer
at UTC Aerospace Systems and continuing his education
towards a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering._________
Joshua Fields ‘15
Joseph Laub ‘15
Major: Electrical Engineer
Focus: Telemetry Systems
Joey will be implementing a
system that provides valuable
in-flight information about
the aircraft. The telemetry
system includes sensors and a
camera which create the data acquisition system—used
for improving the plane’s aiming ability to drop a
package onto target for the advanced class competition.
The data acquisition system monitors the aircraft’s
altitude, speeds, and location in real time relaying the
information to the ground crew. Joseph hopes to learn a
great deal about working with team members and being
a part of a larger project than just himself.______________
Robert Matt Lattanzi ‘15
The Design of the Plane
Following the SAE Aero Rules, the goal of the
plane is to carry as much weight as possible.
The plane from last year’s team recorded a
top ten finish in the 2014 Aero East
competition in Marietta, Georgia with a
maximum payload of 16 pounds. This year’s
team hopes to continue the success
established from years past. Shown above is
the team – along with club president Mike
Russo – holding the fabricated prototype
wing, dubbed Gen2 BatWing, as of December
5, 2014.
Major: Mechanical Engineer
Focus: Axillaries & Landing Gear
Matt will be responsible for the
design of the control surfaces as
well as landing gear. These
control surfaces include: ailerons,
rudders, and stabilator. The
design and shape of these
surfaces are primarily based off of the design of the
wing. The main goal is to minimize weight and improve
performance through the control of servo motors and
their linkages. In addition, Matt hopes to design landing
gear with the capability to turn on the ground while
being as light and sturdy as possible.
Matt Wenner ‘15 (captain)
Ervin Meneses ‘15
Major: Electrical Engineer
Focus: Electric Propulsion
Ervin will be designing and
implementing the electric
propulsion systems. Due to
SAE Aero design rules, the
plane must have one
electric motor powered by one single 6-cell 22.2 volt
lithium polymer battery with a mandated 1000-watt
power limiter. Ervin plans on designing an aggressive
system that will utilize the highest amount of power
without engaging the power limiter by using a PID
controller which will be used to monitor the system’s
overall power consumption and prevent it from ever
going above 1000 watts.
Aero Team
Within Union College academics, each senior
is required to have a senior thesis. This year,
the five seniors above have chosen to
compete in the SAE Aero Design Series as
their senior project. After four years of
engineering courses, the seniors will use
their knowledge and research to design a
flyable plane that competes with other
colleges across the globe. This year the team
is going to California in the Spring of 2015 to
compete in the Regular Class.