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The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the aerospace industry. Our 30,000 members are engineers, scientists, astronauts, students, and educators from the United States and 86 other nations. The San Fernando Pacific Section, which represents the San Fernando Valley, Ventura County, and Hawaii, sponsors an annual essay scholarship contest for graduating high school seniors who plan on a career in a STEM field.

For 2024 up to $1300 will be awarded in prizes. The total number and value of the awards will be determined based on the number of entries. To enter, students must submit a 500-to-600-word essay on the topic:

You are going on a 9-month mission to Mars. Assuming your habitat (including food, oxygen, and water) are taken care of, what personal items would you take? Why did you select those items? Limit yourself to a maximum of 10 items and a combined mass of 50-lbs.  

All entries must be received by Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 11:59 pm PDT. Details on the contest can be found on the flier. 

January 11, 2024 at 6:00pm PT

Guest Speaker: Kamran Akhter

Meeting ID: 886 7327 5060

Ampaire Inc, headquartered in Hawthorne, California, is a pioneering developer of hybrid electric aircraft. The surge in aircraft demand, combined with a concurrent increase in aviation-related emissions, underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions. The continuous growth in emissions from aviation necessitates transformative actions. The transition to electric or hybrid electric aircraft represents a groundbreaking approach to mitigate this issue, fostering sustainability and energy efficiency within the aviation industry.

In this presentation, Ampaire will provide an insightful overview of its hybrid electric powertrain technology. It will elucidate the methodology for implementing this scalable concept into various aircraft platforms. Furthermore, Ampaire will explore the diverse applications of this technology across different aircraft models, highlighting its versatility and adaptability within the aviation sector.

Kamran Akhter is a Mechanical Design Engineer at Ampaire, specializing in the structural design and development of hybrid electric platforms for general aviation aircraft. He has also been involved in the flight test program of hybrid electric airplanes as a Flight Test Engineer.

October 26, 2023 at 6:00pm PT

Guest Speaker: Jim Brown III "JB" 

Meeting ID: 884 3301 2714

Jim Brown “JB” is a Fellow and Past President of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an Eagle of the Flight Test Historical Foundation. JB will provide a qualitative evaluation of the MiG-21 (NATO “Fishbed”) and MiG-23 (NATO “Flogger”).  These aircraft were the subject of much study and mystery amongst NATO pilots during the Cold War, with both aircraft being mainstays of the Soviet Bloc air fleet.  However, any significant data regarding these aircraft was classified and not available for dissemination.  Since dissolution of the Soviet Union, several of these aircraft made their way into the hands of aviation enthusiasts in the United States.This presentation will be an overview of both aircraft from experiences and data obtained during National Test Pilot School student projects in the two-seat MiG-21UM and cross country ferry with subsequent flight test of a two-seat MiG-23UB. 

Topics will include a comparison of aircraft systems, design and operational philosophy between these Soviet workhorses to what is typically found in western fighter designs. 

Jim Brown joined the Lockheed Skunk Works® in 1994 as an Experimental Test Pilot in the F-117 where he tested software, avionics and weapons improvements. In January 2016, he retired from Lockheed and joined National Test Pilot School (NTPS) as the Chief Operating Officer and Test Pilot Instructor. He is currently the President of NTPS and is responsible for the day to day and strategic operations of NTPS. JB is a Fellow and Past President of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an Eagle of the Flight Test Historical Foundation. He has logged over 10,000 flight hours in 157 different models of aircraft and is the world’s highest time Stealth Fighter pilot.