ERAU Eaglenautics - SAE AeroDesign Team LLAMAS (Large Lifting Aerodynamic Modular Aircraft Systems)
Faculty Mentor Name
Johann Dorfling, Shigeo Hayashibara, Richard Mangum
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
Team LLAMAS has designed and manufactured an aircraft for the SAE Aero Design West competition held in April 2025 in Van Nuys, California. The competition mission called for building an aircraft that maximized payload capacity while adhering to several mission and design requirements. Among these requirements was the ability to take off within 100 ft and land within 400 ft. No specific flight path was specified by the competition, but the aircraft had to make at least one 360-degree lap prior to landing for its flight to be scored. The aircraft wingspan had to be between 10 and 15 ft and be able to disassemble into 4 ft by 4 ft by 4 ft sections. The propulsion system was limited to 750 W, and fiber-reinforced plastics were not allowed by the competition. The aircraft Team LLAMAS designed had a maximum takeoff weight of 55 lb with a payload weight of 23 lb.It was primarily constructed from balsa wood with an aluminum wing spar and tail boom. The exterior of the aircraft was covered with Monokote film. The wingspan of the aircraft was 15 ft to maximize on bonus points, and disassembled into 10 different subsections. The aircraft could take off in 85 ft, land in 150 ft, and met all the competition requirements.
ERAU Eaglenautics - SAE AeroDesign Team LLAMAS (Large Lifting Aerodynamic Modular Aircraft Systems)
Team LLAMAS has designed and manufactured an aircraft for the SAE Aero Design West competition held in April 2025 in Van Nuys, California. The competition mission called for building an aircraft that maximized payload capacity while adhering to several mission and design requirements. Among these requirements was the ability to take off within 100 ft and land within 400 ft. No specific flight path was specified by the competition, but the aircraft had to make at least one 360-degree lap prior to landing for its flight to be scored. The aircraft wingspan had to be between 10 and 15 ft and be able to disassemble into 4 ft by 4 ft by 4 ft sections. The propulsion system was limited to 750 W, and fiber-reinforced plastics were not allowed by the competition. The aircraft Team LLAMAS designed had a maximum takeoff weight of 55 lb with a payload weight of 23 lb.It was primarily constructed from balsa wood with an aluminum wing spar and tail boom. The exterior of the aircraft was covered with Monokote film. The wingspan of the aircraft was 15 ft to maximize on bonus points, and disassembled into 10 different subsections. The aircraft could take off in 85 ft, land in 150 ft, and met all the competition requirements.