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Successful test flight for Brunel's first student-built microlight aircraft

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The first microlight aircraft built by students at Brunel University, London, took to the skies from a small airfield in north London in October and flew a series of test manoeuvres as part of a flight test programme to obtain a permit to fly.

The aircraft, which was built by students within the Aerospace and Aviation discipline at Brunel as part of their undergraduate degree programmes, performed flawlessly over the initial test flights conducted.

Dr Alvin Gatto, course director for Aerospace and Aviation Engineering, said: “It is a credit to all the students and staff involved in the project that the aircraft performed very well during the tests conducted. Overall the project was of great value to our degree programmes and provided substantial real-world experience to our students within the scope of small aircraft construction, design, and flight analysis.”

The microlight flown was the Skyranger, a classic touring microlight aircraft which was constructed by students from a set of kit parts supplied by Flylight Airsports. 

View videos of the take off and landing (via YouTube)