Two fourth year students at the University of Cambridge are working with e-Go aeroplanes LLP to create an aircraft that pushes the boundaries of design; not only high performance, but also very low weight and good fuel economy.

The University of Cambridge engineering department is a centre of excellence in aeronautical engineering, in particular aerodynamics. Both students are working on the aerodynamic qualities of the design as their fourth year project.

Tom Shearn of Fitzwilliam College is being supervised by Dr Holger Babinski. Tom is using the low speed wind tunnel to test a quarter–scale model to look at stall effects at low speeds with the aim of creating an aircraft that is very safe.

Mark Wolfenden of Churchill College is being supervised by Professor Bill Dawes. Mark is working in parallel with Tom using the most advanced computer techniques to analyse the same design. Both students are then comparing their results which gives them a direct comparison of the two approaches as well as helping to improve the overall design of the aircraft in the future.

"Tom and Mark at Cambridge University’s Engineering Department have provided us with vital data on the aerodynamics of e-Go that has helped us improve its design. They've made a very significant contribution to the project," said e-Go creators Tony Bishop and Giotto Castelli.

e-Go was started by Giotto and Tony who both live in Cambridge and work with a group of volunteers who are helping on the project. It was started as the result of a new deregulated class of aircraft announced by the Civil Aviation Authority, and won a design competition run by the Light Aircraft Association. It is a single seater aircraft that weighs less than 115kg, but flies at over 115mph.

More information about the e-Go project, including ways in which you can get involved, is available on the company website: www.e-go.me/
 

 

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