What is the Birdman Rally?
The Japan International Birdman Rally is an annual event that challenges participants to fly as far as possible using human-powered aircraft. The contest has been held since 1977 at Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, and attracts teams from various universities, companies, and organizations. The event is divided into two categories: the Human-Powered Propeller Plane category and the Glider category. The former requires the aircraft to be propelled by the pilot’s pedaling or rowing, while the latter allows the aircraft to glide without any propulsion. The aim is to fly as far as possible via two designated checkpoints, and ideally, return to the platform above the surface of the lake.
How did Tokyo Tech’s Meister perform?
Tokyo Tech’s Meister, an official student club that designs and builds human-powered aircraft, ranked fourth in the Human-Powered Propeller Plane category in the 2023 Birdman Rally, held in late July. The team’s pilot and plane flew 3,851.83 m before touching down on the surface of the lake, achieving Tokyo Tech’s best result in the contest since 2015. The team also won the SUPPORTER Award for their efforts in supporting the pilot.
Meister named their latest aircraft REVIVAL, to mark their comeback from a series of recent struggles, which included a suspension of activities due to COVID-19, a shortage of club members, and a crash just after take-off during a test flight. For a year, the team worked together to design and fabricate their plane, dreaming of the moment when REVIVAL would take to the skies.
What were the challenges and achievements of Meister?
The summer heat and a tricky headwind made the competition tough for the pilots. Meister flew smoothly over Lake Biwa for some 17 minutes but fell short of a podium position. Still, the team was proud of their performance and expressed their gratitude to their supporters and sponsors.
Meister representative Mayu Irie, a third-year student of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, commented: “We have been working hard to revive Meister as a strong student club, and our team named our aircraft ‘REVIVAL’ to reflect these efforts. On the day of the contest, the wind gradually picked up as we approached noon, and at one point the competition had to be suspended.
We are slightly disappointed because we were expecting a podium finish. Still, our pilot worked hard and flew gracefully under difficult conditions. I can say honestly that I have never been this impressed in my life! We also won the SUPPORTER Award, and I am grateful to all the Meister members who worked hard as a united team. I would also like to thank our supporters and all those involved in this project. We could not have come this far without you.”
REVIVAL pilot Subaru Kawami, a fourth-year student of Life Science and Technology, said: “I felt a great sense of responsibility to pilot REVIVAL, and carried with me the feelings of all the club members who had built our aircraft through relentless trial and error. That said, I was truly happy to be entrusted with the engine and the piloting of REVIVAL by friends who had gone through various struggles together with me. I will treasure building and flying this human-powered aircraft, all of which was a sentimental experience. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported us.”
What are Meister’s future plans?
Meister is not resting on their laurels after their impressive performance in the Birdman Rally. The team is already planning to participate in other contests and events related to human-powered aircraft, such as the IHPVA World Championships and the Sikorsky Prize. The team is also looking for new members who are interested in joining their exciting project.
Meister hopes to inspire more people to pursue their dreams of flying with human power, and to contribute to the advancement of science and technology through their innovative endeavors.
