These ultra-spectacular aero design competitions are organized annually by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Participating aircraft, entirely designed and built by students in accordance with strict design rules, must successfully lift off carrying a payload that can represent three to four times their own weight, then fly a circuit around a track.

The aircraft designed by Polytechnique's Avion Cargo team posted the most points overall. Following is a list of its other honours at this competition:

Oral presentation: 1st place
Design: 2nd place
Heaviest payload: 2nd place
Overall score (Regular Class) : 1st place

Our heartiest congratulations to the Avion Cargo team!

Left to right: Simon C-Laliberté, 3rd year aerospace engineering; Martin Lafrance 2ndyear aerospace engineering; Vincent Dubanchet, 2nd year master's, electrical engineering; Claude Vallières, pilot; Sabrina Watelle, 1st year mechanical engineering; Marc-André Tremblay, 2ndyear aerospace engineering; Sébastien Robichaud, 4th year aerospace engineering; and Benjamin Favier, 2nd year master's, aerospace engineering.

For complete competition results, click here.

On the Web:

http://step.polymtl.ca/~cargo/
http://students.sae.org/competitions/aerodesign/west/