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
Technical President
Aragon High School
maya.a@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined this team because I love the idea of high schoolers pushing the boundaries of engineering, while creating opportunities to explore aerospace. The open environment of this team allows us to learn about almost every STEM which has made me feel more connected to people and confident in the field. I’m impressed by everyone’s passion to give back to the community too through our outreach programs and I feel very lucky to be here 🙂 Goooooo Flight Club!
Dylan Brocchini - Rose
Design
Lick-Wilmerding High School
dylan.br@flightclubaerospace.com
3D modelling and engineering always interested me but I hadn’t applied them much to anything incredibly useful. Rudy was my peer mentor when I started freshman year and introduced me to FCA. It’s been awesome designing stuff throughout the year and I can’t wait to keep fabricating and eventually see the fruits of our labor. Some of my hobbies include 3D printing, video games, anime, and running D&D.
Jasmine Cheng
Design & Electrical
Burlingame High School
jasmine.c@flightclubaerospace.com
I was introduced to FCA through an upperclassman (Aaron Becker) on my robotics team and found out that this is a way I can gain more experience in engineering, both hands-on and designing. I discovered how much I enjoyed engineering and plan to actually major in engineering in the future. So, I instantly applied not only to gain more experience but to explore engineering more and have lots of fun doing so, and I no regrets.
Alexandra Ding
Design Co-Lead & Physics Member
Aragon High School
alexandra.d@flightclubaerospace.com
I first heard about FCA through Maya, and I was completely blown away by the scale and ambition of the project. I’ve always loved STEM and engineering, so joining the team was a no-brainer — where else would I get this opportunity? We’ve had some setbacks during my time on the team, but we’ve been pulling through, and I have high hopes for the future. Go Flight Club!
Jessica Dong
Design, Finance, and Marketing
Burlingame High School
jessica.d@flightclubaerospace.com
I spent a summer at Emory University studying finance and working on mock marketing campaigns, so I’m excited to finally apply my skills to a real-world project! I’m eager to work with this team to pull together a phenomenal final project!
Chloe Gee
Finance, Marketing, Outreach
Aragon High School
chloe.g@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined FCA because I was really interested in how we got to build a plane from scratch, and the experience sounded like a lot of fun. I also wanted to try my hand at coding and see if I enjoyed it. My goals in FCA are to explore a different field, and to help build the plane.
Jonathan Gerzanics
Design, Electrical, and Software
Aragon High School
jonathan.g@flightclubaerospace.com
I always liked to design and make things, so the flight club I was making was designing an aeroplane I joined in a heartbeat. I’m excited to learn more about electrical engineering, and the mechanics of how a plane works.
Matt Gibson
Physics Lead
Lick-Wilmerding High School
matt.g@flightclubaerospace.com
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.
Leah Hawkins
Marketing, Outreach, and Finance
Aragon High School
leah.h@flightclubaerospace.com
I’ve always been interested in applying marketing and outreach skills to specific environments that I’m passionate about. Flight Club seemed like a great chance to be able to learn new things, meet new people, and enhance my abilities!
Bruno Kai - Ong
Finance Lead & Design
Lick-Wilmerding High School
bruno.ko@flightclubaerospace.com
I have always been a maker and a builder, so I was immediately drawn to Flight Club’s hands-on design, building, and engineering process. Through Flight Club, I have gained invaluable experience on the many angles of work involving a large-scale design project. Outside of Flight Club, I run cross country and track, paint, and work at a bookstore.
Nicholas Ke
Design, Software, Electrical
Aragon High School
nicholas.k@flightclubaerospace.com
Aerospace has always been something that I’ve been interested in. Being able to work on this project will allow me to contribute to an exciting project and learn new things!
Kenzo Lam
Marketing, Outreach, and Finance
Aragon High School
kenzo.l@flightclubaerospace.com
I have always loved to learn and try new things and new activities, so I signed up for aerospace because I was interested in a few of the departments. I am excited to do my best in aerospace!
Kazuya Miyata
Software
Aragon High School
kazuya.m@flightclubaerospace.com
The thing about FCA that was distinctive in comparison to other orgs is that it is a student- led movement that seeks to inspire those who have interest in Aerospace and STEM, and to put that passion into something more tangible, which I thought was a key factor in catching my eye as an opportunity.
Sheelyn Pharr
Design, Physics & Electrical
Lick-Wilmerding High School
sheelyn.p@flightclubaerospace.com
I have always loved making things, from drawing and painting to learning 3D modeling and building different projects around my home. In my free time I also really love cooking and baking, as well as rowing crew at Lake Merced. I have learned so much from this team already, and I cannot wait for everything we will do in the future!
Agastya Raghavan
Design, Software, Outreach & Electrical
Aragon High School
agastya.a@flightclubaerospace.com
I’ve always enjoyed designing and building machines of any kind, so the idea of building a plane absolutely blew me away and I signed up for FCA immediately. While there are undoubtedly challenges anyone will face when they embark on a project of this scale, it’s been a blast ever since I joined and I can’t wait to see where we go next! In my spare time I enjoy playing guitar, bass, and ukulele, as well as reading, video games, and history.
Mark Roberts
Design Co-Lead
Lick-Wilmerding High School
mark.r@flightclubaerospace.com
Jorell Sakamoto
Design, Electrical, and Software
Aragon High School
jorell.s@flightclubaerospace.com
Aerospace engineering and overall sciences are a part one of the biggest dreams that humankind has created. Being part of that is what I wanted, so this is why I’m here! Perhaps the dreams of flight inspired me, too. P.S Space, astronomy, and aeronautics are the best kind of science t. Change my mind.
Harish Selvakumar
Software Lead
Aragon High School
harish.s@flightclubaerospace.com
For as long as I’ve existed, I’ve always had an interest in anything that flies, and FCA has been a large part of my life, allowing me to use my passions to build something very very cool. The community, the experience, the knowledge gained, and even the mistakes made, are all vital parts of my day to day life. I hope to apply my love for software, design, and aviation and be part of this wonderful group for the years to come.
Kiran Swami
Software and Electrical
Aragon High School
kiran.s@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined the 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.
Halan Tran
Software
Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy (GECA)
halan.t@flightclubaerospace.com
FCA caught my eye because of its inspiring opportunities that incorporate several technical aspects that all come together to create an aircraft. I currently aim to pursue a career in software engineering, and hope to further develop and apply my computer science skills with hands-on experience. Learning more about aerospace and the details of how it all works is exciting!
Shrey Varma
Software, Electrical
Foothill High School
varshrey10@gmail.com
I joined FCA because it provided me with an opportunity to challenge my technical skills such as coding and apply them to a real-world situation that’ll provide me with valuable experience for future opportunities, especially since I plan to follow a career in Computer Science. Additionally, aviation was a field that I was interested in, but never had the opportunity to do anything with it before FCA. Future Goals: I want to be able to hone my skills and be able to contribute to a larger, more meaningful project within a group environment.
Gabriel Weisbrich
Design, Electrical, and Software
Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy (GECA)
gabriel.w@flightclubaerospace.com
As a person who loves aviation as a whole, when I first heard about FCA I knew I had to join. I want to pursue aerospace engineering for the rest of my life, and FCA is a great opportunity to become familiar with the concepts and strengthen my skills before university. What excites me the most about this group is that I will be working with and learning from other high-schoolers who are just as passionate about aviation as I am.
Marcus Yang
Design, Physics
Lick-Wilmerding
marcusdyang@gmail.com
I joined FCA because I thought it was a really unique experience, and I wanted to get some experience in engineering. My goals within FCA are to become better at 3d modeling and to help build the plane.
Kyle Young
Design, Finance & Electrical
Urban High School
kyle.y@flightclubaerospace.com
Majoring in engineering has always been an aspiration of mine, as I enjoy building things along with learning how technology and everyday trinkets work. I joined Flight Club in the pursuit of furthering my knowledge in the world of STEAM. Along with my passion for engineering, I enjoy math, baseball, volleyball, and attempting to learn CAD and python. I hope to learn more in the future, and see where our work goes!!!
Keaton Zon
Communications (Marketing & Outreach) Lead, Fabrication, & Design
Lick-Wilmerding High School
keaton.z@flightclubaerospace.com
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!