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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President and leads:
Maya Ayoub
President
Aragon High School
maya.a@flightclubaerospace.com
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!
Marcel Bihan
Design Member & Communications Lead
Lick-Wilmerding High School
marcel.b@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined flight club because I have a big interest in aviation in general and more specifically, I joined flight club because I am interested in learning the sciences behind all the intricate parts of a plane. Plus FCA is just a great club.
Alexandra Ding
Design Lead
Aragon High School
alex.d@flightclubaerospace.com
When I first heard about FCA from Maya the ambition of the project overwhelmed me and I immediately agreed to join. After I joined, the passion that the team’s members brought with them to the project drove and inspired me. Now as Design Co-Lead I work with Mark and the design team members to design and simulate the airframe, fuselage, landing gear, and much more of the plane. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every moment and have high hopes for the future.
Nisu Fletes-Berkowitz
Electrical Lead
Lick-Wilmerding High School
nisu.f@flightclubaerospace.com
As the lead Electrical Engineer, I lead projects like the Flight computer, a comprehensive flight control and information monitoring system, and our all electric powertrain. I train members on analog and digital circuits, PCB design, and powertrain design. Additionally, I assist and advise on some design projects like a battery case and mount, the control system, and more. I originally joined FCA because I thought it would be a great way to explore and expand my interest in STEM into the aerospace field. The motivation and drive that the team has is great and the whole process is very rewarding.
Taran Hano
Communications Lead
Lick-Wilmerding High School
taran.h@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined l because my friend told me when I said something about me wanting to market things in some manner or another. But then I joined and it’s been quite fun.
Sheelyn Pharr
design and physics lead
Lick-Wilmerding High School
sheelyn.p@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined Flight Club Aerospace because it seemed like an amazing opportunity to learn skills around design and physics in a very hands-on way. I’ve always been interested in creating and building things, and I have learned so much about design, teamwork, fabrication, and aviation through this club. I’ve worked on everything from physics to electrical to design teams.
Mark Roberts
President
Lick-Wilmerding High School
mark.r@flightclubaerospace.com
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.
Harish Selvakumar
Software Lead
Aragon High School
harish.s@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined Flight Club Aerospace because I instantly knew that I would love to contribute to the creativity, ingenuity, and hard work that this team is full of. As the software team lead, I’ve been able to link my passions of computer science and aerospace engineering and apply them to create, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with such a great and inclusive community. I hope to continue working with Flight Club to learn new things, engineer, and teach others for the years to come.
Communications team:
Jasmine Cheng
Communications and Design member
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.
Chloe Gee
Communications
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.
Leah Hawkins
Communications
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!
Kenzo Lam
Communications and Design member
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!
Agastya Raghavan
Communications member
Aragon High school
agastya.r@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.
Lea Huang
Communications member
Lick-Wilmerding High school
lea.H@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined FCA because I thought it would be a cool opportunity to explore different interests of mine through hands-on projects. I was also really curious about aviation in general, and joining has taught me a lot about the field!
Kyle Young
Communications and design member
The Urban School of San Francisco
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 procrastination, math, baseball, volleyball, and attempting to learn CAD and python. I hope to learn more in the future, and see where our work goes!!!
Design Team:
Neel Chatterjee
Design member
Aragon High school
neel.c@flightclubaerospace.com
I was introduced to FCA because my sister is close friends with Maya. I told I wanted to join a club with building involved that was interesting, and she told me to check flight club’s poster on club day. It has been a great experience so far, and I have learned a lot!
Ethan Dunn
Design and electrical member
Lick-Wilmerding High school
ethan.d@flightclubaerospace.com
I Have had previous experience in technical building and wanted to collaborate and improve my skills with like minded highschoolers from around the bay area.
Jonathan Gerzanics
Design and software member
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.
Nicholas Ke
Design member
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!
Cassandra McMillan
Design member
Aragon High school
cassandra.m@flightclubaerospace.com
I find that technology is becoming more and more important, so along with the fact that I find it interesting I also value the learning aspect and I hope to build good habits along the way (of course while having fun).
Gavin Ozanne
Design and electrical member
Lick-Wilmerding High school
gavin.o@flightclubaerospace.com
My whole life I have loved making and designing things. Recently I have developed an interest in everything that flies. I joined FCA because I would love to develop my skills and apply them to a real-world project. The aerospace part is a huge bonus!
Pierce Thompson
Design member
Lick-Wilmerding High school
pierce.t@flightclubaerospace.com
FCA appealed to me because of how it offered an opportunity to practice and advance my aerospace skills in a collaborative environment. I mostly do research and work on my own, and I am looking forward to being able to learn with and from others.
Gabriel Weisbrich
Design member
Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy
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 highschoolers who are just as passionate about aviation as I am.
Marcus Yang
Design member
Lick-Wilmerding High school
marcus.w@flightclubaerospace.com
I joined FCA because I thought it was a really unique experience, and I wanted to get some experience in engineering. I have really enjoyed being in this club so far.
Software:
Halan Tran
Software member
Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy
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!
Kazuya Miyata
Software member
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.
Shrey Varma
Software member
Foothill High School
shrey.v@flightclubaerospace.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.
Maya Ayoub
Design & Administration
Aragon High School
maya.a@flightclubaerospace.com
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
aaron.b@flightclubaerospace.com
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
isa.c@flightclubaerospace.com
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
ryan.c@flightclubaerospace.com
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
magnolia.f@flightclubaerospace.com
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
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.
Ben Grant
Software
Lick-Wilmerding High School
ben.g@flightclubaerospace.com
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
mac.h@flightclubaerospace.com
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
zoe.h@flightclubaerospace.com
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
kausik.k@flightclubaerospace.com
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
ollie.k@flightclubaerospace.com
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
rudy.l@flightclubaerospace.com
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
harry.l@flightclubaerospace.com
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
colette.l@flightclubaerospace.com
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.
Mark Roberts
Physics, Design, Electrical, & Administration
Lick-Wilmerding High School
mark.r@flightclubaerospace.com
Kiran Swami
Design & Electrical
— High School
kiran.s@flightclubaerospace.com
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
justin.ts@flightclubaerospace.com
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
zoe.t@flightclubaerospace.com
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
farah.y@flightclubaerospace.com
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
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!