Contact: Bob Ratliff
A group of Mississippi State University aerospace engineering majors and their remote-controlled aircraft have a lot of necks craning.
Dubbed the "carbon goose," their 10-foot-wingspan model recently finished ninth in an international field at the 2001 Cessna/U.S. Office of Naval Research Student Design-Build-Fly competition. Almost 40 schools from the United States, Canada, Italy and Turkey were represented during the two-day event at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.
The overall winner was "shamu," an Oklahoma State University entry.
The MSU craft got its name from one of the basic materials used in construction, said graduate student Bryan Gassaway of Starkville, one of 11 students working under the supervision of Masoud Rais-Rohani, an associate professor of aerospace engineering.
"It's constructed of several composite materials, including carbon and fiberglass," Gassaway said. "The composite construction was a big factor in our team placing in the top 10 because the craft had the strength to survive a crash during the competition."
Payload capacity was another important factor. Two one-horsepower engines enabled the MSU "goose" to carry a payload almost equal to its 16-and-a-half pound empty weight.
The front-end loading system provided another advantage, Gassaway added.
"Most of the aircraft had a top-loading system that took about 40 seconds to load the required cargo of steel weights or tennis balls," Gassaway said. "By sliding our cargo through a lift-up nose, we were able to cut loading time to about 20 seconds."
In addition to Gassaway, a 1995 graduate of Oak Hill Academy in West Point and the son of Dr. and Mrs. John Gassaway, other team members included (by hometown):
BAY ST. LOUIS--Sophomore Matthew J. Monti, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Monti and a 1999 graduate of St. Stanislaus College in Bay St. Louis.
CANA, Va.--Senior Jeremy M. Sebens, a 1995 Carroll County High School graduate and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Sebens.
COLUMBUS--Senior Robbi A. Jouben, a 1997 Columbus High School graduate and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robbi Jouben.
GULFPORT-- Junior Kristen "Erin" Wahlers, a 1999 Gulfport High School graduate and the daughter of Ms. Kimmer McCall.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.--Sophomore David J. Bodkin, a 2000 White Station High School graduate and the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Bodkin.
PASCAGOULA--Graduate student Michael McNabb, a 1993 Pascagoula High School Annex graduate and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell McNabb.
PORTLAND, Tenn.--Graduate student John Freudenthal, a 1994 Portland High School graduate and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Freudenthal.
RIVER RIDGE, La.--Senior Michael S. Cancienne, a 1996 graduate of Brother Martin High School in New Orleans and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Cancienne.
SOUTHHAVEN--Senior Anthony J. Fabiszak, a 1995 Southaven High School graduate and the son of Richard Fabiszak and Kathy Fabiszak; and sophomore Matthew J. Haines, a 2000 SHS graduate and the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Haines.