SUHPA Avionics

In my first year at university, I joined the Southampton University Human Powered Aircraft society (SUHPA). As the name suggests, the society is all about building a flying human-powered aircraft. Human-powered aircraft typically use pedals to turn a propeller, which provides thrust to the aircraft. It is a rather niche hobby, and there are only a few teams in the UK. I’m the leader of the Avionics Team, and so work on designing and testing the electronics onboard the aircraft. In the summer, we conduct flight tests, and regularly compete in the ICARUS cup competition.

Below are some of the electronics projects I have been involved in, that are associated with SUHPA:

Meanwhile, enjoy some pictures from our time at Lasham airfield in the summer of 2022:

The team assembling the aircraft in the early hours of the morning
Manoeuvring the aircraft across the airfield as the sun rises
The aircraft being positioned on the runway
The aircraft aligned with the wind on the runway
The aircraft mid-takeoff, wing runners about to release (I am the wing runner on the right)
The aircraft in flight, being followed by the chase car
Gliders lining up to be launched (Lasham is a gliding club and airfield)
A glider being launched by winch
Me taking a ride in a glider
View of Lasham airfield from the glider
Aircraft parked up outside 2Excel Engineering, an aircraft maintenance company based at Lasham
An Aer Lingus A321 on the tarmac at 2Excel Engineering
A closer view of one of the engines of the Aer Lingus A321
A jet2holidays plane taking off