Competition Empowers Next-Gen Aerospace Designers

ST Engineering Antycip, in partnership with Merlin Flight Simulation Group, has announced its upcoming IT FLIES USA 2025 Aircraft Design and Handling Competition. This prestigious event will take place on Saturday 5 April 2025 at the School of Engineering, University of Dayton, providing aerospace engineering students with a platform to showcase their creativity and engineering expertise.

Teams and individuals are encouraged to register as soon as possible, as competition materials will need to be submitted at least 10 days before the event. Virtual participation options are also available for teams unable to attend in person.

This annual competition challenges students to go beyond theoretical designs by testing their aircraft designs in a real-time flight simulation environment. Supported by Merlin’s EXCALIBUR software, participants will see their designs come to life, showcasing not only conceptual innovation but also practical flight performance.

Aero students participating in Design/Build/Fly competitions who do not have a Merlin Simulator can be provided with the offline editor. Participants can enter their design data and send it to ST Engineering Antycip for performance checking on the MP50-1D simulator, and the data log of performance will be sent back to the teams for analysis. It is essential to analyse aircraft performance through simulation before building a model – in that way students will know how their model is going to fly.

Standard aircraft industry practice is to design/simulate/build/fly. Initial aircraft simulations are taken from the manufacturers’ design data. Once the simulator is built then it is validated against the flight test data gathered from flying the new aircraft.

Unlike typical design contests, IT FLIES pushes students to ensure their aircraft designs are not only sound on paper but capable of performing in real-world flight conditions. Each design will be flown and evaluated by an experienced Test Pilot using a Merlin Engineering Flight Simulator, driving students to meet the high standards of the aerospace industry.

The IT FLIES USA 2025 competition is in two parts. A concise 10-minute project presentation where participants will showcase their aircraft designs to a panel of expert judges, followed by a test flight, where a professional Test Pilot will evaluate the aircraft’s performance in ground handling, take off, climb out, cruise, approach and landing. The judges will evaluate if the entries are able to carry out their design objectives.

Amir Khosh, commercial solutions manager at ST Engineering Antycip says, "IT FLIES is a truly unique competition, offering students the rare chance to bridge the gap between theory and hands-on application. We are proud to support the next generation of aerospace engineers and look forward to witnessing the innovative designs that emerge."

This competition aims to not only encourage students to push the boundaries of aircraft design but also provides practical experience that will enrich their education and prepare them for successful careers in aerospace engineering.