Flight Club Aerospace is a group of young engineers, designers, and community organizers from various high schools around the San Francisco Bay Area. Throughout the past few months, Flight Club has been working to design and build an ultralight aircraft from scratch in compliance with the FAA’s Part 103 specifications. Sparked by a spontaneous lunchtime proposition, Flight Club Aerospace quickly grew to a full-fledged project with fifteen dedicated team members. This upcoming Fall, we plan on becoming the first-ever student-led aerospace team to design and fly their own ultralight aircraft.
Not only do we hope to gain insight into the field of aerospace engineering and team management, but we also hope to gain experience in reaching out to a multitude of local organizations and industry experts for professional and safety advice. With our newfound knowledge, we aim to pioneer student accessibility to an aerospace engineering curriculum, providing resources and knowledge to leave behind an educational legacy to help other students for years to come.
In addition to constructing an airplane, we will publish an engineering notebook detailing our design process, struggles, technical specifications, and drawings. We hope these resources can be useful references for any future students or aerospace enthusiasts looking to follow in our footsteps and take flight. For more information and weekly updates, check out our blog page.
MISSION
Created by students for students, Flight Club Aerospace inspires and empowers creative individuals to pursue their passion for aviation. We will deliver an accessible curriculum centered around aircraft design that will hold a long-lasting educational impact and provide knowledge, community, and resources for the next generation.In addition to constructing an airplane, we will publish an engineering notebook detailing our design process, struggles, technical specifications, and drawings. We hope these resources can be useful references for any future students or aerospace enthusiasts looking to follow in our footsteps and take flight. For more information and weekly updates, check out our blog page.
GOALS
Flight Club Aerospace strives to create an ultralight aircraft while establishing a strong community where all members can challenge themselves to develop new skills and gain unique experiences. We aim to give back to the community through an accessible curriculum that fulfills our mission of fostering a passion for aerospace engineering.
VALUES
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Community
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Give back to the field of aviation, and build a close-knit team in the process
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- Opportunity
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Provide access to aerospace education and resources for individuals who otherwise would not have access to it
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- Innovation
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Push the boundaries of ultralight aviation and create an all-in-one course to empower aspiring aerospace engineers
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- Vision
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Develop technology to make aviation more sustainable and accessible
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Maya Ayoub
Design & Administration
Aragon High School
I love building things and have always been interested in all things space-related, so I’m super excited to be part of this project. I’m eager to learn more about aeronautics and efficient design. I’m thrilled to be working with all these passionate people to produce a working ultralight!
Aaron Becker
Design & Electrical
Burlingame High School
This project has been a great opportunity for me to work with interesting people who are ambitious and motivated to solve complicated problems (like building a plane!). Initially, it caught my interest because it reminded me of a cool YouTube series on home-built planes that I enjoyed watching. It has also been an opportunity to learn more about aerospace engineering, as well as continue my own skills learning from professionals and my experienced team mates. Furthermore, I’ve been able to continue my love for teaching by helping the younger members gain experience in areas where I’m knowledgeable and develop their own passion.
Isa Castillo
Design & Outreach
Lick-Wilmerding High School
When I first heard of this team, I was a bit hesitant to join, mostly because I didn’t have much experience with design or engineering. Thankfully, I stepped out of my comfort zone, and haven’t looked back since. This project has really pushed me and helped me grow as a person. One fun fact about me is that I’m terrified of heights, but have always loved the idea of flying!
Ryan Collier
Physics & Design
Lick-Wilmerding High School
I’ve always been a fan of learning how the world works through a physical and mathematical lens and find problem-solving especially fun. I have been fantasizing about personal flight machines for as long as I can remember, so this project spoke to my passions.
Magnolia Finn
Outreach
Lick-Wilmerding High School
Honestly, just the idea of an ultralight aircraft was enough to make me say “count me in!” While I have very little experience in the engineering/mechanics/physics realm, I have worked in different leadership and management positions, and so naturally I found myself in the “good with people” section of the team.
Matt Gibson
Physics & Design
Lick-Wilmerding High School
Hi I’m Matt! I’ve loved things like trains, planes, and cars for as long as I can remember. I am also interested in renewable energy. So when we came up with the idea of an electric airplane, it checked all the boxes. Being a part of this project is teaching me more than I ever thought could be possible and I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish.
Ben Grant
Software
Lick-Wilmerding High School
After hearing about the project from a couple of friends who had gotten involved, I felt like I could either pester them incessantly about what they were working on or join them and see for myself. What I’ve been working on so far is infuriating in just the right way to keep me motivated, so I look forward to what is coming.
Mac Hocking
Design & Electrical
Futures Academy
I joined Flight Club Aerospace because I am looking to take on a challenging project. I am a complete aviation geek and know a decent amount about flying. I am currently getting my pilots license, so this project fits nicely with my current passion. The idea of students building a plane from scratch without a kit amazes me. Also the fact that this plane is electric makes the project a hundred times more interesting since we are protecting the environment from harmful fuel emissions while still enjoying our freedom to fly.
Zoe Hong
Marketing
Aragon High School
After hearing my friend talk about Flight Club, applying was a no brainer. I’d get to be a part of a group that’s building a plane! I’m so excited that I’ve been given the opportunity to work and learn alongside so many passionate students.
Kausik Kolluri
Physics
-- High School
I’ve always been interested in space science, and usually lean towards the research side of the field. I saw Flight Club as my opportunity to get more into the building aspect. I believe that I could channel my interest in physics and math towards helping build the ultralight aircraft. I work on both the physics team and the outreach team, where I help with the educational side of Flight Club which seeks to reach out to the younger generation in order to foster interest in aerospace.
Ollie Krause
Administration & Design
Lick-Wilmerding High School
I’ve always loved being able to translate my ideas into tangible products and wanted to create a project that would build upon what I’m learning in school as well as incorporate all of my friends. Now that Flight Club is in full swing, I feel fortunate to be able to work alongside my dedicated teammates who have taken on this project with dedication and ambition. I can’t wait to see what we will achieve throughout the course of this amazing project.
Rudy Lee
Administration & Design
Lick-Wilmerding High School
I have always loved building and design, all the way back to my Thomas the Tank Engine train sets and Lego building. I continue my passion for design today, with my wood shop in my garage, as well as in Flight Club. A fun fact about me is that I’ve gotten a set of architectural schematics accepted by the town of San Anselmo in order to legalize the selling of a house.
Harry Levinson
Design & Electrical
San Francisco Bay School
When I was approached by my friend and told about Flight Club, there was no way I could say no to applying. I’m a huge nerd when it comes to physics, math, and just projects like this in general, so when the opportunity to help build an ultralight aircraft presented itself, I jumped at the opportunity. Given my affinity with mathematics and physics, I’m mainly working on the Physics sub-team, and I’m enjoying every second of it.
Colette Lipton
Design & Marketing
Lick-Wilmerding High School
I joined Flight Club because I love design, engineering, and building. I plan to major in mechanical engineering in college, and hope to gain some of the skills associated with the subject through this project. I want to learn about the design and building process of making an ultralight aircraft, and also about how to apply for sponsorships and fundraise. In addition, I hope to make a lasting impact with Flight Club’s plan to make an easily accessible airplane education program for future students interested in engineering.
Jamie Marwell
Design & Physics
Lick-Wilmerding High School
I have always been a builder and I love the concepts involved in air travel, when Flight Club offered me the opportunity to indulge both while also allowing me to flex other creative muscles I knew I had to. It is an incredible experience to be surrounded by engineers who all know way more than me and to all be passionately working together.
Mark Roberts
Design & Electrical
Lick-Wilmerding High School
I joined Flight Club Aerospace because I have made smaller projects by myself before so I wanted to try working on a bigger project with more planning and constraints then what I am used to. I also thought it would be a great way to get into the aerospace community with a big project like this. I am on the physics team. I am helping running simulations and analysis on the plane and software team where I am working on the electric powertrain.
Clara Slacik
Design & Electrical
Lick-Wilmerding High School
As an aspiring aerospace engineer, I joined Flight Club looking for ways to extend and apply my knowledge of physics. I’m super excited to be part of the team and work with ambitious high school students to build an ultralight, something I didn’t even expect to do for another couple of years.
Kiran Swami
Design & Electrical
-- High School
I joined Flight Club because I’ve always wanted to build a plane and I’ve always been interested in aeronautics. I heard about the flight club from a friend, I was really interested in joining it and wanted to help out. I’m in the software/electrical sub team, and being in this team has already helped me to learn new things and practice what I know.
Justin Tien-Smith
Design & Marketing
Lick-Wilmerding High School
I wanted to join this project because I have a lot of fun imagining efficient and creative ways to solve problems. Some of my interests include architecture, mathematics, and woodworking. I am extremely excited to learn more about aircraft and flight through this project and can’t wait for the final product.
Zoë Teu
Marketing
Ruth Asawa SOTA High School
I like experimenting with graphic design and digital art, so being able to apply that to a project like Flight Club seemed like an awesome opportunity. I’m always excited to explore new things!
Farah Ye
Design & Electrical
-- High School
I joined Flight Club to learn more about aerospace engineering. When I heard that we would be building an electrically powered ultralight I knew I had to apply! I’m in the software, electrical, and physics sub teams, where I’m able to pursue my interests in electrical and mechanical engineering.
Keaton Zon
Design & Electrical
Lick-Wilmerding High School
I wanted to join this team because I enjoy working alongside others to turn an idea into reality. From a young age, I’ve been passionate about mechanics and the design process, even to the point of building an electric go-kart. I have enjoyed challenging myself through projects and overcoming obstacles. When I heard of this ambitious project, I was amazed by the amount of dedication. I had to join, and cannot wait to see what this team will accomplish!
We’re always looking for dedicated and involved individuals to join our team. If you’re interested becoming a team member, fill out a quick form about you. We’ll get in contact with you shorty after.