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Industry & alumni

Boeing

Boeing Regional Utility Freighter Aircraft

Air cargo remains a key element of global trade carrying 35% of total trade measured by dollar value. However, one potentially under-served area is easily moving freight to and from the more outlying areas to the larger cargo hub airports. These areas would traditionally be served by small cargo aircraft or by road trucks, where cargo needs to be unpacked and repacked for the smaller transport. Particularly in a pandemic environment, this slows down distribution of critical supplies and perishable goods to and from outlying areas quickly and efficiently. This student team sought to build a freighter aircraft that can carry main deck ULDs and/or pallets, that are used on 777 / 767 / 747 /A330 / DC-10 / MD-11 aircraft. The student team also worked towards identifying how to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel and to be loaded and unloaded at smaller airports, with limited ground handling loading equipment. The intended outcome of the project was an aircraft design that meets the requirements and is validated through limited testing. To meet this outcome, the student team worked to produce a technical report that presents the design of this aircraft clearly and concisely, including all relevant aspects; The student team endeavored to provide pertinent analyses and studies supporting design choices, to create a scale wind-tunnel model, and to provide experimental results from the wind-tunnel test.

Faculty Adviser

Alvar Saenz Otero, Aeronautics & Astronautics

Students