Second place went to the SPAD** project, which is supported by the institution.
SPAD** is a project aimed at decarbonizing aviation using a two-seat motor glider powered by an electric powertrain supplemented by a fuel-cell range extender.
Structured in two phases, this project aims first to retrofit an existing, certified Scheibe 25 motor glider by replacing its internal combustion engine with a PAC hybrid powertrain. This SPAD-PACHA demonstrator will enable a fuel cell solution—which is now well-established in ground-based applications but much less so in aerial applications—to be quickly flown and tested for validation.
At the same time, a long-term exploratory project, SPAD-CONCEPT, has been launched to study an entirely new aircraft featuring a modern, optimized design—a side-by-side two-seater with twin engines, still powered by this hybrid powertrain.
These projects are led and coordinated by Fabrice CLAUDEL of Top Décollage (professional and amateur pilot), David BOUQUAIN, deputy director of the FCLAB UAR CNRS laboratory; Hugues BAUME, head of the FISE Mechanics and Ergonomics program at UTBm; and, since spring 2020, by approximately thirty UTBm students (FISE Mechanics, Ergonomics, and Energy), supported by their instructors. As part of an overarching project spanning multiple semesters, they have participated—and continue to participate—in the design of these motor gliders: architecture, ergonomics, preliminary sizing, aerodynamics, design, and specification.
On October 4, 2021, the SPAD-PACHA project won second prize in the 2021 Air and Space Innovation Competition organized by the Aéroclub de France, a leading institution in French aeronautics. This prize will help fund a significant portion of the demonstrator’s airframe. Of course, the full funding for this project has yet to be secured.
**: Synergy and Promotion of Sustainable Aviation
Instructors: David BOUQUAIN (Ufc), Antoine VARRET (Utbm), Hugues BAUME (Utbm)
Students:
- Octave DOINEAU, Clément LYONNAIS, Sébastien PERRET – ER63 – P2020
- Paulin ANTOINE, Axel HAINCOURT, Victor CHAMBON – TO55 – A2020
- Martin FRAULOB, Hugo NAEGELLEN, Pierre RUDELLE, Lucie SAMMUT, Mathieu STENGEL – CP97 – A2020
- Mickaël CORNILLE, Mylène DARMON, Alicia REY, Edouard BIANQUIS, Alexandre MARCEAU, Théo PENSA – SY80 – A2020
- Maude MARCHE, Arnaud MORON, Maéva RANALIMANANA, Pierre RIEHL, Théo HELIN – CP97 – P2021
- Nicolas GONIN, Hugo BUCHY, Valbert PARMENTIER – TO55 – P2021
- Maude MARCHE, Tanguy PILARD, Pierre BRUNO, Edouard BIANQUIS, Margaux VITALI, Arnaud MORON – TO55 – A2021
- Cécile BERTELOOT, Louis GUILLAUME – AV – A2021
