Jets!
Student Jets Fly at Harnett Airport
May 10, 2006
By Reece Murphy
From The Daily Record

Students from North Carolina State University's Aeronautical Senior Design class were at the Harnett County Airport yesterday testing the unmanned aerial vehicles they designed from the ground up using cutting-edge technology. Above, students prepare one of the UAVs, the Nemesis, for its final flight. From left, Mark Elliott, team leader Carole Williams, Tyler Hoover and Chris Sumner. Top, North Carolina State aeronautical engineering professor Dr. Charles Hall flies the Nemesis, one of two UAVs tested, through its test card. -Daily Record Photos/Reece Murphy

The whine of turbo jet engines filled the air at the Harnett County Airport as students from North Carolina State University's Aeronautical Engineering School flight-tested miniature jet airplanes yesterday.

The take off and landing of the jets foreshadow the future of the airport, which is to be renamed the Harnett County Regional Jetport upon completion of its 5,000- foot runway this summer.

The jets flying yesterday, though much smaller than the jets which will use the jetport in the future, were constructed by North Carolina State's Aerospace Senior Design class.

“This is the culmination of everything they've learned throughout their years of study,” graduate student Drew Turner said. “The students apply the principles they've learned, which are the same principles they will be using in the industry.”

The two jets tested, the “Nemesis,” named after a stubborn Greek goddess who would not take no for an answer, and the “Hyperion,” which means “he who walks in the clouds,” were constructed over the course of two semesters.

They were built from the ground up by students including design, modeling and body construction using a set of customer requirements, and a budget of $1,200.

Each of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), as they are known, were constructed of carbon fiber and fiberglass and weigh approximately 26 pounds fully fueled.

Using a small turbo jet engine similar to those used in larger jets, the UAVs travel at an estimated speed of 190 knots, or close to 109 miles per hour.

The planes use cutting-edge technology such as thrust vectoring found only on the U.S. Air Force's F-22 fighter jet.

Thrust vectoring is technology in which the direction of the jet's thrust leaving the plane can be directed in different directions to allow for sharper turning and maneuverability.

Each plane took more than 100,000 man hours per team to construct.

“Sacrifices are made on sleep and recreation time,” Hyperion team leader Ben Cline said. “This is our sixth test flight, so we're confident. But this is going to be a more aggressive test and it will be interesting to see how it responds.”

Team leader for the Nemesis, Carole Williams, said seeing the UAVs fly brings a definite sense of accomplishment.

“It's a wonderful thing to see these things fly,” she said. “But it's also sad to see them on their last flights.”

During the tests both UAVs successfully completed their test requirements by performing such maneuvers as axial rolls, vehicle climbs and stall and recovery.

Both teams were pleased to have completed the final flight of their UAVs in a program that is fly or fail.

“It was great, one of our best flights,” Ms. Williams said. “I have no complaints.

“We met all customer requirements, the planes performed well and that means we'll be able to graduate,” she said.