‘Çalıkuşu’ is the winner

Students of Izmir University of Economics (IUE) won first place in the Helicopter Design Competition organized within the scope of TEKNOFEST with their helicopter named ‘Çalıkuşu,’ which they designed after approximately one year of work. The helicopter, which can be used for various purposes such as firefighting, cargo transport, search and rescue, is 13 meters long, has a range of 900 kilometers, can reach a speed of 330 km/h, and can stay airborne for at least 4.5 hours. IUE students, who surpassed many ambitious projects with their design, also received a prize of 100 thousand lira.

The ECO-Dynamics team, consisting of 8 students from IUE Department of Aerospace Engineering—Kutlu Akar, Tuna Deniz, Eda Nur Telik, Can Oral, Burçak Şahin, Ahmet Haktan Eray, and Ümit Can Altundağ—and Elif Oral from IUE Department of Mechanical Engineering, meticulously considered every detail in their helicopter design.

LOW CARBON EMISSIONS

The 13-passenger capacity helicopter features a wingtip design with lower induced drag, foldable landing gear, and large windows for a wide field of view. The helicopter, which stands out with its low carbon emissions, high safety, and low fuel consumption, also utilizes artificial intelligence-supported modern radar technologies to reduce its carbon footprint. The ECO-Dynamics team will exhibit their helicopter at TEKNOFEST, which will be held in Adana from October 2-6, and will receive their award there.

‘IT WAS TIME TO BE FIRST’

Expressing their happiness in winning first place, the captain of the ECO-Dynamics team Kutlu Akar, said, “We placed third in the Helicopter Design Competition two years ago and second last year. Among ourselves, we were saying, ‘This year we have to be first.’ We prepared very well, and our experience from previous years gave us a big advantage. We were one of the 10 teams that made it to the finals from hundreds of applications. Our project was thoroughly reviewed by a team of experts. Just participating in TEKNOFEST is a great success in itself. All the projects that made it to the finals were ambitious and impressive. We received the recognition we deserved for our efforts, and we did not disappoint the trust placed in us.”

MASS PRODUCTION, LOW MAINTENANCE

Noting that their helicopter also offers many advantages in terms of maintenance and production, Akar said, "Our helicopter can be used for firefighting, search and rescue, cargo transport, and offshore operations. We can describe it as a general-purpose helicopter. For example, if it's used for firefighting, it will have a 1 thousand 420-liter water tank. The helicopter can fill this tank in less than a minute. If it's used for search and rescue, it will stand out with its advanced camera technology. We considered all these aspects when designing our helicopter. It's also different with its quick role change capability and flexibility. Maintenance costs are low, and it's suitable for mass production. All these features helped bring our project to the forefront and win us first place.”

WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER

Congratulating the students, Prof. Dr. Yaşar Güneri Şahin, Dean of IUE Faculty of Engineering, said, “We couldn't be prouder of ECO-Dynamics team. We were expecting to win first place this year, and that's exactly what happened. They have won 3 awards in the last 3 competitions. I congratulate all the students who have worked diligently in our team over the years. As a faculty, we have great confidence in all our students. We know that with the quality education they receive, our young engineers will stand out in the future with their achievements and become highly sought after. These awards are an important indicator that our students are on the right path and that we, as a faculty, are raising our standard of success."