AIAA DBF (Team Foxtrot)

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Design, Build, Fly Competition

Project Overview

The basic premise for the 2015-2016 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Design, Build, Fly (AIAA DBF) competition is to have a large aircraft fly around a predetermined course without any payload to test flight capabilities, land, and then carry "sub-assemblies" of a smaller aircraft around the same course.  The smaller aircraft will be reconstructed and carry a competition designated payload around the same predetermined course as before.

Phase 1: Manufacturing Support Aircraft Arrival Flight (Large Aircraft)

The Manufacturing Support Aircraft (MSA) is the larger of the two aircraft required for the DBF competition.  This aircraft will be required to fly the sub-assemblies of the smaller Production Aircraft (PA) for Phase 2.  For Phase 1, the MSA will be required to takeoff within 100 feet off a paved runway (same runway for all phases) and fly 3 laps on the predetermined course shown below within 5 minutes.

Figure 1: Flight Course for the 2015-2016 DBF competition

In Phase 1, the MSA does not have to fly with a payload.  This Phase is to prove the flight capabilities of the MSA.  In order to continue onto Phase 2, the MSA must successfully land and complete the entire phase first.

Phase 2: Manufacturing Support Aircraft Delivery Flight

The Production Aircraft is the smaller of the two required aircraft.  For the beginning of this phase, the PA must be broken down into "sub-assemblies"  which was defined by the DBF rules as "any portion of the airplane that is disconnected or moved from its position required for flight."  For each sub-assembly, the MSA must complete a lap around the course shown in Figure 1.  This means that a sub-assembly must be loaded and properly secured within the MSA before takeoff can be initiated.  Once the aircraft has taken off and completed one lap, the MSA must land and the payload needs to be removed.  The next sub-assembly must be loaded and secured before the second takeoff can be done.  Thus, the least amount of sub-assemblies would be beneficial since this entire sequence must be completed within a 10 minute window.  This phase must be completed before Phase 3 can begin.

Phase 3: Production Aircraft Flight (Small Aircraft)

For Phase 3, the PA must be loaded with DBF designated payload.  For this year's competition, the payload is a factory sealed 32 oz Gatorade bottle with a height of 8.2 inches, maximum diameter of 3.7 inches, and a weight of 2 lbs 3.9 oz.  This Gatorade bottle must be carried internally and the PA needs to complete 3 laps on the course shown in Figure 1 within 5 minutes.

For a more detailed rules list, click the following link: AIAA DBF Rules

Gantt Chart - Attached Below

Current Build Progress

Due to an internal competition between Saint Louis University's Aero Design Team and this team, the primary focus was strictly on the Production Aircraft for this semester.  Shown below are pictures of the building process.

Figure 2: Production Aircraft Fuselage Being Prepared for the Fiberglass Mat

Figure 3: Half of the Production Aircraft Wing Covered in Fiberglass Mat

Figure 4: Connected Fuselage and Wing

Team Members

Figure 5: Team Members (From Left to Right): Michael Dalton, Chase Lyons, Weston Mariottini, and Josh Anderson

Team Roles

Michael Dalton, Aerodynamics

Chase Lyons, Propulsion

Weston Mariottini, Strutures

Josh Anderson, Stability and Control