In the summer of 2022, at the "Birdman Contest", which is the goal of all students who work hard to build human-powered airplanes,
The Sky Project, a human-powered aircraft production club based on Utsunomiya Campus, participated.
What kind of records did the aircraft they produced leave behind, and what kind of experience did they get?
We will report on the glorious two days from the day before the tournament to the day itself.
What is the Birdman Contest?
A contest to compete for flight distance and flight time with self-made human-powered aircraft. It started in 1977 and will be held for the 44th time in 2022. The tournament is held around July and August every year, and is televised afterwards.
What is Sky Project?
Based on Utsunomiya Campus, the club aims to design, manufacture, and fly propeller airplanes powered by human power. In the 2013 "Birdman Contest", he set a record of flying distance of 568.82m.
- Prepare the day before
- Preparation on the day
- Tournament production
Under the clear blue sky,
For body inspection
Desperate preparation.
"fly in the sky". The "Birdman Contest" gathers people who want to make their dreams come true in Lake Biwa in midsummer. The human-powered aircraft club “Sky Project” on Utsunomiya Campus participated in the two-day competition held from July 23rd to 24th. The slogan for this year's event, which was the first time in nine years, is "resurrection." It was [Human Powered Propeller Aircraft Division] that participated. The team entered the venue from the day before the tournament to assemble the aircraft.
"fly in the sky". The "Birdman Contest" gathers people who want to make their dreams come true in Lake Biwa in midsummer. The human-powered aircraft club “Sky Project” on Utsunomiya Campus participated in the two-day competition held from July 23rd to 24th. The slogan for this year's event, which was the first time in nine years, is "resurrection." It was [Human Powered Propeller Aircraft Division] that participated. The team entered the venue from the day before the tournament to assemble the aircraft.
On the first day, preparations for the next day's flight began at 8:00 am. We asked Mr. Ryota Nishiyama, the director and pilot, about his feelings. “Meeting the pilots from all the teams made me feel tense all at once.
1 
2 
3 - Mr. Ryota Nishiyama, who was the first manager and served as a pilot. Prepare to change into pilot clothes.
- 2 The slogan "REBORN" is engraved on the aircraft.
- The assembly of the three aircraft was carried out on the shores of Lake Biwa.
4 Individual members are divided into groups, such as the fairing team and the wing team, to proceed with their work. Mr. Suhaib, an international student from Malaysia, is in charge of the design. “We worked to reduce the weight of the aircraft, but our primary goal was to be able to fly. The contest was approached with anxiety, such as design changes along the way and lack of test flights.
The biggest hurdle was the airframe review that started at 13:00. If you receive an indication from the judges, you must respond by 17:00. The check was carried out in a tense mood, and the comments received were limited to safety measures such as cutting out the protrusions on the aircraft. Even the first-year club members who watched the situation smiled. “This year I was in charge of the wings, but next year I want to try designing the airframe.”
5 4 - 4Mr. Suhaib Bin Solefuddin, an international student from Malaysia, who served as the design chief for 2022. The eyes that adjust the parts for the airframe examination are serious.
- 5 After judging the aircraft, all the club members gathered and had a meeting about adjusting the points pointed out by the judges.
- Prepare the day before
- Preparation on the day
- Tournament production
before dawn
final check.
And go to flight!
The second day, which was the day of the flight. In the airframe area, all the teams had started assembling the airframes before dawn.
The second day, which was the day of the flight. In the airframe area, all the teams had started assembling the airframes before dawn.
Professor Hiroshi Yoneda, an adviser who oversees the work of the club members, gives accurate advice because he himself was involved in glider production when he was a student. "The most important part of assembly is attaching the tail. We practiced repeatedly on a flat ground, but it's very different from working on a lakeside where the footing is bad."
1 
2 - Preparations for the first day began before dawn. While it was still dark, I made the final adjustments while illuminating my hand with a light.
- 2The sky brightens little by little, and the moment of flight approaches.
4:30 am. After a lot of trouble, the aircraft was assembled and started to move to the platform to take off. On the other hand, Mr. Nishiyama, the pilot, is busy warming up. To reach the target distance of 5km, you need to keep pedaling for 12 minutes (40km/h pace). Nishiyama's weight loss and muscle strengthening was supported by a team of student trainers from the Department of Department of Judo Therapy Faculty of Medical Technology. “I devised a program from the perspective of diet management, strength training, and improving aerobic capacity.”
3 
4 
5 - 3Nishiyama-san and Suhaib-san point to the lake and discuss.
- 4 Last warm-up before flight.
- 5With the student trainers of Faculty of Medical Technology who supported Mr. Nishiyama.
- Prepare the day before
- Preparation on the day
- Tournament production
grasped by unity
Major record update.
6 am. The flight finally started, and the Sky Project, which flew second, was positioned on the platform. And the members pushed out the aircraft.
6 am. The flight finally started, and the Sky Project, which flew second, was positioned on the platform. And the members pushed out the aircraft.
「3、2、1、GO！」
Taking off beautifully, the aircraft with a total weight of 104 kg continues to fly over Lake Biwa while maintaining altitude. Mr. Suhaib, who is on a motorboat that runs alongside, gives instructions to the aircraft by radio. "A little more to the right!" "Raise the power!" Mr. Nishiyama continued to pedal with everyone's thoughts on board.
Yomiuri TV Birdman Contest
on the official channel
Flight video now available
The announced flight distance is 1270.32m. Although it did not reach the target, it greatly improved the past longest flight record of 568.82m. It can be said that the 6th place in the [human-powered propeller aircraft category] while the strong teams occupy the top ranks is proof of the "revival".
Mr. Nishiyama was welcomed by the entire team while the aircraft was pulled out of the water and returned home. “I should have been able to push myself more to achieve my goals.
Suhaib says, "I realized that communicating your thoughts and understanding others will create a sense of solidarity."
The know-how and experience gained in this race will be passed on to the next generation. Expectations are only rising to meet the evolved Sky Project next summer.
1 
2 - Just before 1 flight. Mr. Nishiyama doing a final check of the movement of the pedals.
- 2The aircraft that fell into the lake was pulled up, and the evacuation work was also done by themselves.
after the tournament
pilot
Ryota Nishiyama
3rd year Faculty of Science and Engineering Department of Aerospace Engineering of Science and Technology
Graduated from Higashisumiyoshi High School (Osaka Prefecture)
I can't thank the team enough. While there were many things that I couldn't reach as a director, they united and accomplished what they could do individually. We were able to update our flight records, and I think we were able to achieve our slogan of “recovery.”
chief designer
shhaib bin
Solefuddin Mr.
3rd year Faculty of Science and Engineering Department of Aerospace Engineering of Science and Technology
I didn't hit my target flight distance, but I was confident that I could reach it with minor tweaks and improvements. In the future, I would like to contribute to the realization of the aircraft that the new team will create as a design support role.
adviser
?Professor Hiroshi Yoneda
Faculty of Science and Engineering,
Department of Aerospace Engineering
I think it's worthy of praise that a team with few achievements managed to cut into a strong team with a brilliant achievement. I hope that next year I will be able to use the lessons I learned through participating in the race, such as schedule management and organizational management.
