AIAA Design Build Fly Coppertails
Faculty Mentor Name
Johann Dorfling, Joseph W. Smith
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
The Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott Design Build Fly (DBF) Club is a student‑run organization that provides undergraduates with hands‑on experience in aircraft design, fabrication, and flight testing. The club prioritizes early involvement of underclassmen to promote mentorship, continuity, and effective knowledge transfer, creating a collaborative environment that mirrors real‑world aerospace engineering teams. Each year, the club competes in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Design/Build/Fly competition, an international event challenging university teams to design, build, and demonstrate an unmanned, electric‑powered aircraft tailored to a unique mission profile. Now in its 30 year, the competition remains a leading platform for students to validate analytical work through real‑world performance testing. Because the rules change annually, alternating between humanitarian and operational themes, teams must design a completely new aircraft each cycle, reinforcing adaptability and innovation. For the 2025–2026 competition cycle, teams are tasked with developing a banner‑towing bush plane capable of completing a series of flight and ground missions. The aircraft must rapidly change between passenger and banner‑towing configurations, perform simulated charter operations, and fly an oval‑shaped course that includes a full 360‑degree loop. Teams must also submit a comprehensive design report, which carries significant weight in scoring and is evaluated for engineering rigor, clarity and justification of design decisions.
The 30th annual AIAA DBF Fly‑Off will be hosted by Textron Aviation from April 16–19, 2026, in Wichita, Kansas. Over three days, selected teams from around the world will conduct flight demonstrations, attempt mission runs, and compete for top placement. This year, 102 teams were chosen from 175 proposal submissions, with the Embry-Riddle Prescott team placing 28 , reflecting strong preliminary design quality. Since proposal acceptance, the team has focused on research, optimization, and iterative refinement of the aircraft. Successful flight tests in Chino Valley have validated the current aerodynamic model, with additional testing planned to confirm performance predictions, handling qualities, and mission readiness. In the previous cycle, the Embry-Riddle Prescott DBF Team placed 15th out of 112 universities. Building on that momentum, the team aims for a top 10 finish through disciplined engineering practices, thorough design reviews, precise fabrication, and comprehensive testing, highlighting the technical capability and professionalism of Embry-Riddle Prescott’s student engineering community.
AIAA Design Build Fly Coppertails
The Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott Design Build Fly (DBF) Club is a student‑run organization that provides undergraduates with hands‑on experience in aircraft design, fabrication, and flight testing. The club prioritizes early involvement of underclassmen to promote mentorship, continuity, and effective knowledge transfer, creating a collaborative environment that mirrors real‑world aerospace engineering teams. Each year, the club competes in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Design/Build/Fly competition, an international event challenging university teams to design, build, and demonstrate an unmanned, electric‑powered aircraft tailored to a unique mission profile. Now in its 30 year, the competition remains a leading platform for students to validate analytical work through real‑world performance testing. Because the rules change annually, alternating between humanitarian and operational themes, teams must design a completely new aircraft each cycle, reinforcing adaptability and innovation. For the 2025–2026 competition cycle, teams are tasked with developing a banner‑towing bush plane capable of completing a series of flight and ground missions. The aircraft must rapidly change between passenger and banner‑towing configurations, perform simulated charter operations, and fly an oval‑shaped course that includes a full 360‑degree loop. Teams must also submit a comprehensive design report, which carries significant weight in scoring and is evaluated for engineering rigor, clarity and justification of design decisions.
The 30th annual AIAA DBF Fly‑Off will be hosted by Textron Aviation from April 16–19, 2026, in Wichita, Kansas. Over three days, selected teams from around the world will conduct flight demonstrations, attempt mission runs, and compete for top placement. This year, 102 teams were chosen from 175 proposal submissions, with the Embry-Riddle Prescott team placing 28 , reflecting strong preliminary design quality. Since proposal acceptance, the team has focused on research, optimization, and iterative refinement of the aircraft. Successful flight tests in Chino Valley have validated the current aerodynamic model, with additional testing planned to confirm performance predictions, handling qualities, and mission readiness. In the previous cycle, the Embry-Riddle Prescott DBF Team placed 15th out of 112 universities. Building on that momentum, the team aims for a top 10 finish through disciplined engineering practices, thorough design reviews, precise fabrication, and comprehensive testing, highlighting the technical capability and professionalism of Embry-Riddle Prescott’s student engineering community.