Willie Costa - Aerospace Engineer
  • Home
  • About
  • Relevant Experience
  • Achievements & Honors
  • Resume
  • Portfolio
    • Formula SAE
    • Axial-Flux Generator
    • SeaLion
    • Tiltrotor Whirl Flutter
    • Ganymede
    • Hammerhead
    • TR-150 Civil Tiltrotor
    • Cal Poly Flutter Club
    • JAGUAR
    • Artemis
    • MGT Reducer
    • iFly

iFly

Picture

Design driver: Maximum adrenaline, minimum cost

My very first foray into international collaboration!

Project Guidelines​
  • Personal ‘airsports’ vehicle
  • All-electric; ~ 35 min. endurance
  • Target cruise speed: 120 kts
  • Sportbike control position

Outcomes
  • 1/4-scale model crash, small fire, moderate injuries 

Results
  • Development cancelled due to risk and lack of funding
  • On (likely permanent) hiatus

​Lessons learned
  • Securing funding is extremely difficult; especially when the ROI is ‘fun’
  • High reliance on technology breakthroughs requires maturation strategy
  • High rewards = high risk

​iFly images copyright Gary Redman, Red Man Designs

Contact me to talk aerospace engineering or any other nerd stuff. 

All images on this site, unless otherwise stated, are copyright Willie Costa.


email

willie.j.costa@gmail.com

linkedin

linkedin.com/in/aerowillie
  • Home
  • About
  • Relevant Experience
  • Achievements & Honors
  • Resume
  • Portfolio
    • Formula SAE
    • Axial-Flux Generator
    • SeaLion
    • Tiltrotor Whirl Flutter
    • Ganymede
    • Hammerhead
    • TR-150 Civil Tiltrotor
    • Cal Poly Flutter Club
    • JAGUAR
    • Artemis
    • MGT Reducer
    • iFly