The AMA is pleased to announce the conversion of the Heavy-Lift Challenge to a DIY experience! This mission-oriented challenge is designed to push your piloting skill, engineering acumen, and critical thinking to the next level.
As always, the AMA Education team is happy to answer your questions at [email protected]
HEAVY-LIFT CHALLENGE FAQS:
- What exactly IS the challenge?
- Working as a team of 2-4, your challenge is to engineer a payload carrying/delivery mechanism capable of carrying the greatest volume of water possible aboard a Horizon Hobby AeroScout 1.1M model aircraft.
- The aircraft electronics and power system must remain in stock configuration, but certain modifications will be permitted, provided safety regulations are met.
- As part of a simulated firefighting mission, the aircraft must be piloted through unassisted takeoff, crosswind and downwind flying, approach, and landing.
- What can we expect to learn from this challenge?
- This challenge will teach students the fundamentals of flight, aviation safety, and meteorology.
- Students will learn and apply knowledge of aerodynamic principles, weight and balance, atmospherics, wind, humidity, the importance of safety inspections and the safe handling of hazardous materials.
- Where are the competitions held?
- Wherever the team would like to hold them!
- What age range can participate?
- Teams will consist of 2 to 4 members in grades 6 through 12. All members must have an active AMA membership in order to register for the challenge.
- Each team is also required to have an adult mentor (who will not count towards the team’s membership number) and are strongly encouraged to partner with an experienced AMA club or member in their area.
Heavy Lift STE(A)M Challenge Information
This section includes details on:
- Items Needed to Compete
- The Mission
- Eligibility
- Rules
- Scoring
- Disclosures
- Prizes
The Mission
Your mission is to deliver a payload of water to help suppress a local wildfire. Your team is tasked with delivering as much water as possible to the disaster site by modifying the aircraft to support the increased weight. Additionally, your team will need to engineer a payload delivery mechanism that will attach to the aircraft.
Eligibility
- Teams will consist of 2-4 individuals
- AMA Membership is required
- FAA and AMA number must appear on aircraft
Rules
Modifications
- Teams must use E-flite® UMX™ Timber™ Bind-N-Fly Basic.
- All stock electronics, flight stabilization system, radio, battery, ESC, Prop, and servos must be used from the kit.
- An additional servo may be utilized for cargo pod.
- Additional batteries may be used as needed, but only three cell 2200/2300 with a discharge rate no higher than 45c will be allowed.
- Fuselage must remain unchanged except for the following modifications:
- Wheels may be changed
- Cargo “pod” or weight box may be attached
- Modifications to the wing, tail, horizontal stabilizer, and receiver are permitted.
- Modifications to the propeller, speed control, or battery are not permitted.
Flight
- Any flight pattern is allowed, provided each individual demonstrates proficiency in take-off, crosswind and downwind technique, final approach, and landing.
- Each flight must be a minimum of 1-minute in length.
- Aircraft must rise off the ground under its own power, unassisted in any way.
- Both empty and loaded flights must be completed on the same day, within an hour of each other.
- All flight operations must adhere to the AMA Safety Code.
Contest Submissions
Contest submissions must be video-based and include the following:
- Initial footage must show the weight of the ready-to-fly aircraft with battery on a scale, not including the payload. Tip-You may use a piece of foam, or similar, to support the full weight of the aircraft hands-free. If this is done, you must first show the scale zeroed out with the foam/support, minus the aircraft.
- Once the aircraft has been weighed, footage must include each individual completing a minimum 1-minute flight pattern that includes proficient take-off, crosswind and downwind technique, final approach, and landing.
- Once all team members have completed their solo flight, the footage must show the team members adding the payload to the aircraft followed by weighing the loaded aircraft onto the scale once more, using the same technique as in step 1. This will allow the judges to determine the amount of water that is being transported.
- The final footage will include the successful take off, including payload. The flight pattern must include proficient crosswind and downwind technique, final approach, and landing. The minimum flight time will again be 1-minute.
- Extra points will be awarded to teams that can successfully drain the aircraft without physically touching the aircraft post-flight.
- Extra points will be awarded to teams that submit footage of their experience outlining various aspects of the challenge, such as planning, scope and depth of the testing performed, modifications, and preparations made to improve the aircraft’s performance.
- Contest entry must be submitted using YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, or other suitable platform.
Scoring
Safety
- The FAA and AMA number is displayed on the aircraft, and aircraft safety inspection is completed prior to flight. All flight operations adhere to the AMA Safety Code. This category is all-or-nothing, meaning all safety requirements must be demonstrated or the team will receive a score of 0. This category is worth 10 points.
Weight
- Video submission includes accurate weighing of the aircraft before and after payload is added. Because the aircraft must be weighed twice, the team will receive 5 points for the first weigh-in, and 5 points for the second weigh-in, for a total of 10 points possible.
Solo Flight
- Each team member successfully completes a solo flight according to the rules outlined above. This category is worth a total of 5 points. Because teams may consist of 2-4 individuals, 1 point will be deducted for each team member that does not successfully complete a solo flight.
Payload Transport
- The payload is successfully transported and remains intact through the duration of the flight. This category is worth 10 points.
Bonus Payload Delivery
- The payload is successfully drained post-flight. This category is worth a bonus of 5 points.
Disclosures
- Official contest judges reserve the right to consider any variations due to a contestant’s disability and have the right to disqualify any participant whom isn’t competing within the spirit of the contest.
- Contest scores are final and at the discretion of the official contest judges.
- By competing in the Heavy-Lift STE(A)M Challenge, teams grant the right to edit, use, and reuse said products for nonprofit, non-commercial purposes, including in print, online, social media and all other forms of media. The team consents to the use of its name, team member’s names, and their association with the Academy of Model Aeronautics for the foregoing purposes. I give this authorization without expectation of compensation.
- Submissions received by youth members (18 and under) will be accompanied with a parent-signed media consent form, which can be downloaded here: [insert pdf link].
- Youth teams may work with an adult mentor, but must independently complete the challenge in the video submission.
Prizes
The AMA Foundation has allocated resources for prizes related to the Heavy Lift challenge. This amount will be allocated based on the number of participants and their demographics. Funds will be primarily allocated to middle/high school students to reward them for excelling in the challenge. If no youth engage in the available prize, funds may be directed to other program costs and/ or winning teams.
Fundamentals of Flight
Purpose
This lesson is intended to provide a fundamental understanding of flight mechanics. The student will be familiarized with theory of flight, and basic aerodynamic principles.
Objectives
At the conclusion of this lesson, the student shall be able to demonstrate knowledge in and understand:
- The 4 external forces affecting flight.
- The 3 Coordinate Frame Axes of flight, and how the corresponding flight surfaces work to maneuver each.
- Elements of an Airfoil.
- Stalls, and different ways they can occur.
- Theories, laws, and principles of flight/lift, and how they relate to fixed wing, rotary wing, and multi-rotor flight.
- Weight and Balance
Lesson/Quiz Links
Aviation Meteorology
Purpose
This lesson provides a basic understanding of weather and its impact on flight operations, covering atmospheric conditions, cloud types, and icing effects on AV performance.
Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Understand atmospheric layers and pressure.
- Learn how altitude affects AV performance.
- Identify wind patterns and their effects.
- Recognize wind turbulence from obstructions.
- Classify clouds and their characteristics.
- Understand precipitation types and their impact.
- Comprehend ceiling and visibility importance.
- Learn how icing influences AV performance.
Dive into this lesson to enhance your knowledge of aviation meteorology and improve flight safety!
Lesson/Quiz Links
Aviation Safety
Purpose
This course provides a fundamental understanding of aviation safety practices for Unmanned Systems, covering recordkeeping, checklists, battery/fueling procedures, FPV operations, and airfield safety.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will:
- Understand safety responsibilities in unmanned operations.
- Learn recordkeeping and logbook parameters.
- Know what TFRs and NOTAMs are and where to find them.
- Understand UAS inspection types and checklists.
- Learn LiPoly battery charging procedures and safety considerations.
- Understand safety for storing and using aviation fuel.
- Know FAA regulations for sUAS.
- Follow the AMA Safety Code for remote aircraft operations.
- Implement airfield safety procedures, including frequency deconflictions and radio range checks.
- Practice safe FPV flight operations, including line of sight and see-and-avoid techniques.
Dive into this course to master essential aviation safety practices for unmanned systems!
