A Year of Learning, Innovation and Teamwork at AS Lyon
As another academic year comes to an end, EUROAVIA Lyon can look back on a year filled with many challenges, learning experiences and memorable moments. From organizing an interactive workshop to visiting major aerospace companies and participating in the ACC competition, our members had many opportunities to develop their skills and dive deeper into the world of aerospace.
One of the highlights of the year was our blimp workshop. Participants were divided into teams and given materials which they had to use to build their own blimp. Each team had to discuss its ideas, divide tasks and find the best possible solution. Once construction was completed, the teams tested their blimps in flight. The objective was simple: to keep the blimp in the air for as long as possible. The team that achieved the longest flight time was declared the winner. The workshop’s main purpose was educational. Participants were introduced to the basic physics behind blimps. At the same time, they learned the importance of communication, coordination and teamwork. The workshop demonstrated that even a relatively simple activity can provide valuable lessons in design, experimentation and collaboration.
Throughout the year, we also organized three industry visits: SKF Aerospace, Safran Landing Systems, and Ansys. These visits gave our members the opportunity to discover different aspects of the aerospace sector and gain a clearer understanding of how engineering knowledge is applied in working environments. During the visits, students were able to learn more about industrial processes, product development, simulation, manufacturing, quality control, and the standards required within the aerospace industry. The visits also helped us better understand career opportunities in engineering and the skills needed to work in the aerospace industry.
However, the largest part of our work this year was dedicated to the design and manufacturing of our radio-controlled aircraft for the Air Cargo Challenge in Stuttgart. This was EUROAVIA Lyon’s first participation in the competition, making the project both exciting and demanding. From the initial concepts to the final flight tests, the team faced many challenges. Designing an aircraft, selecting appropriate materials, manufacturing the different components, and ensuring that the final plane could fly reliably required a lot of commitment. Each difficulty pushed us to review our decisions, improve our methods and work more effectively as a team. Our efforts were rewarded as we achieved eighth place out of 37 participating teams. Although we did not win the competition, this result was an excellent achievement for our first participation. More importantly, the experience helped us develop valuable technical, organizational, and teamwork skills.
This year has allowed EUROAVIA Lyon to grow. We are proud of everything our members have accomplished and grateful to all those who supported our activities. We are now looking forward to the next academic year, during which we hope to organize new workshops, strengthen our relationships with industry and take on even more ambitious projects.