Flight testing the Cranfield A.1

Extract

Before getting to the heart of the matter as it were, it would seem to be sensible to sketch in some of the background to the whole project.

One of the teaching methods used at Cranfield relating to aircraft design students, is to enforce on them the discipline of a design project study undertaken within a group, to be completed within a given timescale and within defined specifications. Many an interesting paper aeroplane has evolved which, for obvious reasons, never progresses beyond model stage.

About a decade ago Nick Carter, the then manager of the British Aerobatic Team and Peter Little an ex-student of the College of Aeronautics asked Cranfield if they would consider the use of student effort to design an aerobatic aircraft for competitive work. On investigation it was discovered that such a task was sufficiently demanding to prove a challenge.