Brazilian students and their professor build a World Record breaking aircraft

Students and professor from the Brazilian University UFMG (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – Federal University of Minas Gerais State) joined forces to design and build an aircraft that broke no less than four World Records!

The records have been recently ratified by the FAI in the category of aircraft with piston engine, propeller and total takeoff weight of up to 300 kg (1C-1.a/0) for the following achiements:

1) Time to Climb to 3,000 Meters: 8 min 15 sec
2) Speed Over a 15 Kilometer Course: 329.1 km/h
3) Speed Over a 100 Kilometer Closed Course: 326.8 km/h
4) Speed Over a 3 Kilometer Course: 360.13 km/h 

This record breaking venture all started when Paulo Iscold, engineer and Professor at the UMFG, launched the idea of building an aircraft with his students with the thought of improving their learning process.

This ambitious project, undertaken as part of an academic work of the Aeronautical Engineering Course, led to the building of the aircraft # PP-XHG - Model: CEA 308.

On 1 and 2 December 2010, after many years of preparation and tests, the aircraft with Capt. Gunar Armin Halboth at the helm took off from the Airport of Juiz de Fora - Minas Gerais State - (SDZY) chosen for technical reasons as well as its symbolism as Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos Dumont was born at a farm near by.

During these two days, four World Records were broken - what a reward for such hard work ! The FAI congratulates Paulo Iscold, Capt. Gunar Armin Halboth, the students and all the people who have taken part in the project on such a wonderful achievement.

To know more, read Professor Paulo Iscold's blog that describes the days of the World Records and much more.