AirISU, a student run group made up of Aerospace Engineering majors, hopes to design, construct and fly a light sport aircraft at the EAA AirVenture Oshkoshairshow in 2006. EAA is an organization supporting recreational aviation.

AirISU project director John Anastos said the light sport aircraft the team hopes to build will be a small two-seater approximately 20 feet long with a wing span of 30 feet.

“We will use composite materials, such as carbon fiber and fiberglass, for almost every aspect of the construction,” he said.

If the project stays on schedule, the aircraft could be flown to Wisconsin next summer for the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh airshow. This summer the airshow features aircrafts such as SpaceShipOne and GlobalFlyer.

EAA media relations person Dick Knapinski said the airshow attracts between 700,000 and 800,000 people and should include more than 10,000 aircrafts.

Knapinski said EAA would be “very interested” in featuring the AirISU aircraft at the 2006 airshow.

AirISU is a completely student-run project. Anastos, senior in aerospace engineering and Nathan See, senior in aerospace engineering, jointly started AirISU in January. Enthusiasm for the project is increasing, with more than 60 students are currently participating.

The design phase began last spring and construction will begin this summer.

The aerospace departmental report estimates the cost of the project to range from $75,000 to $100,000. Funding comes from donations by the Aerospace Engineering department and private companies.

“Our team members are responsible for raising all the cash and parts we will need by calling companies and pursuing sponsorships,” Anastos said.

He said Boeing recently donated a substantial amount of money, parts and material. Other than sponsorship, the companies are not affiliated with the project.

“As far as we are aware, we are the first college group to begin a project like this, so many companies have become interested,” Anastos said.

Besides donating money and materials, companies are also interested in imparting knowledge. Representatives from the Boeing Company visited Iowa State on June 6 to consult and review AirISU’s light sport plane design.

“Boeing is always interested in our best students,” said AirISU’s advisor Tom Shih, professor and chairman of aerospace engineering professor.