HHummingbird takes ummingbird takes fl ightight
Students at Cranfi eld University have designed a fuel effi cient
propeller-powered aircraft. Sixty-four Aerospace Vehicle Design
MSc students have each given 1000 hours, since September
last year, to designing the A-8 Hummingbird.
The aim of the project was to design a lighter and
greener airliner suitable for both commercial and
military use.
The 70-seater turbo-prop (propeller-
A computer aided software image
powered) advanced regional aircraft boasts fuel
which was used to design the aircraft
effi ciency and the capability of short take-off
and landing.
Course Director Phil Stocking said: “The work
Green guidance
and imagination that has gone into this project is evidence of the
innovative thinking and research taking place in aircraft design. The
A-8 Hummingbird is the perfect showcase of how to use composite
The Engineering Council UK (ECUK) has released a materials to lessen the fuel consumption and improve the agility of
publication entitled ‘Guidance on Sustainability for the the aircraft.”
Engineering Profession’. The MSc Group Design Project from the University’s School of
ECUK launched this important guidance on sustainability Engineering will now be sponsored by Boeing.
in order to provide coherent direction for Professional
Engineering Institutions and their members, as well as
demonstrating to society the profession’s commitment to
sustainability through engineering.
So far, so good
The new publication replaces and updates the code of
practice ‘Engineers and the Environment’, published by the
Engineering Council in 1993. It establishes six principles to
– but no room for
guide engineers in meeting their professional obligations to
promote sustainability, ensuring that it is integrated into all
their engineering activity. complacency
Professor Kel Fidler, Chairman of ECUK, commented:
“Professional engineers have a signifi cant role to play A report by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEing) reveals the
in sustainability and should be the providers of options progress of the age 14-19 Diploma in Engineering. Professor Matthew
and solutions to maximise social value and minimise Harrison, the director of education programme at Royal Academy
environmental impact. These principles will guide engineers of Engineering (RAEng), compiled the diploma report seven months
in meeting their professional obligations to promote after its launch. The outcome: so far, so good, but there’s no room
sustainability, and ensure that it is integrated into all their for complacency. This statement rings true, as nine out of ten young
engineering activity.” people are dropping science after their GCSEs.
‘Guidance on Sustainability for the Engineering Profession’ has The report also reveals that a high percentage of young people who
been produced in response to indications from Professional are qualifi ed for engineering degree courses do not choose to study
Engineering Institutions (PEIs) that they would welcome such the subject at university. This is possibly as high as 40,000 students a
guidelines, and is designed to complement information on year.
aspects of sustainability already published by some PEIs. Professor Harrison states in the report that the 14-19 diploma is
Professor David Bogle, who chaired the working group that ‘the best chance of attracting young people into engineering’ as it
produced the guidelines, said: “It is the product of bringing provides ‘hands-on’ experience, as well as making young people aware
together representatives from across the profession, who of how engineering works as a sector of economy.
between them possess considerable experience in a wide In order for the diploma to make a big impact on young people,
range of engineering disciplines, as well as sustainability the RAEng recommended that there must be better communications
expertise. A number of PEIs were also instrumental in its between diploma consortia members, expertise should be used within
development, either directly as part of the group or through the consortia effectively and an application-based approach must be
the provision of materials.” adopted when teaching maths. The RAEng is currently managing the
In keeping with the ethos of sustainability, ECUK has London Engineering Project (LEP) on behalf on the Higher Education
avoided printing a large quantity of the guidance document, Council. Many of the schools involved in the LEP are now involved in
but an electronic version can be downloaded from www.engc. the Engineering diploma.
org.uk/sustainability. In addition, ECUK has produced handy Not everyone is in favour of the vocational qualifi cation. Since
wallet size cards for engineers, listing the six principles. These the Government launch the diploma in 2008, it has been ill-received
can be obtained from info@engc.org.uk. by critics, stating it undermines the high standards of the traditional
qualifi cations
Engineering Designer July/August 2009
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