Brasilian students and teachers build a World Record breaking aircraft

Students and teachers joined forces to design and build an aircraft that broke no less than four World Records!

The records have been officially ratified today by the FAI in the category of aircraft with piston engine, propeller and total takeoff weight of up to 300 lbs (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 kmh
3) Speed Over a 100 Kilometer Closed Course: 327 kmh
4) Speed Over a 3 Kilometer Course: 360 kmh

All started in xxx , when Paulo Iscold, engineer and Professor at the Brazilian University UFMH (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – Federal University of Minas Gerais State) 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 leaded 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 at the Airport of Juiz de Fora. It is not only for technical factors that this airport has been chosen, but also because it is located within 20 km of the farm where was born the Brazilian pioneer of aviation Alberto Santos Dumont.

During this these two days, four World Records have been broken - what a consecration for such hard work ! The FAI congratulates Paulo Iscold, Capt. Gunar Armin Halboth 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 relates the days of the World Records and much more.

Photos and video © Paulo Iscold