Having joined the SAE Flight Dynamics Team mid-year, I missed out on most of the design work done on the UT-24 MINERVA. However, I jumped straight into the manufacturing of the aircraft. This presented a unique challenge, as I was assembling part of an aircraft which I was unfamiliar with. I learned quickly through plenty of hands-on experience, and was soon able to self-lead parts of the assembly, including the majority of the empennage on our second, back-up aircraft.

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I learned a variety of skills on-the-fly, such as the preparation of laser-cutting sheets, basic machining, and more. In addition to this, I worked on my technical problem-solving skills. After each test-flight and subsequent crash, several repairs had to be made to the aircraft. With some repairs in very sensitive and delicate areas of the assembly, many considerations had to be made before even beginning.

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This hands-on experience allowed me to learn quickly and identify areas of improvement for future design cycles and upcoming years.

 

UT-24 MINERVA went on to compete in the 2024 SAE Aero Design West competition in Los Angeles, placing 5th overall in global competition.