ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 27, 1997 TAG: 9703280018
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-13 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: have you heard?
SOURCE: JON CAWLEY
Students in Farhan Gandhi's aircraft design class at Penn State usually develop ideas for airplanes, but each year a group breaks away to compete in a competition sponsored by the helicopter industry.
In April, a team including Thomas Mallon of Roanoke will present its award-winning design for a firefighting helicopter at a technical conference in Virginia Beach.
About a dozen colleges and universities participate each year in the American Helicopter Society International Vertical Flight Organization Student Design Competition. Mallon's team designed its helicopter during the fall, 1995 and spring, 1996 semesters and tied with the U.S. Military Academy for first prize in the undergraduate competition.
For the effort, Mallon's team received a $1,500 cash award, which was divided among the five members.
Competitors had two criteria for their helicopter designs. First, the team had to determine how many craft they would need for a 10-hour firefighting mission. Second, the helicopter had to be able to carry six firefighters and land on a 10- to 15-degree incline.
The helicopter Mallon's team designed is about the same size as the military's Blackhawk, with a "Bambi Bucket" that hangs underneath. The bucket can scoop water out of a lake or other body of water and has a tank filled with flame retardant foam, which is mixed with the water prior to release.
Student interest is the only factor in deciding who gets to participate in the competition. "Those [students] who are interested in this area flock to this project," Gandhi said.
Mallon, 23, said his team chose the helicopter competition because they thought it would be easier to complete the class's design requirements with five people instead of 15 - common in the fixed-wing projects. Besides, Mallon's team members had a pretty good idea of what they could expect from each other.
"We were all friends outside the project and had worked together before," he said. "We knew each other's strengths and weaknesses."
Even after spending about 250 hours designing the helicopter, Mallon said, the team members still weren't able to put in as much work as they would have liked.
"Actually we used to joke around that if we won, the other schools weren't doing much," Mallon said.
The team will present its design at the AHS 53rd Annual Forum and Technology Display, April 29 through May 1, at the Virginia Beach Pavilion.
Mallon moved to Roanoke last June after graduating from Penn State with an aerospace engineering degree. He now works as a computer programmer with Norfolk Southern Corp.
MILITARY
AIRMAN SHANE A. WHEELER, son of James R. and Sandra A. Wheeler, of Daleville, recently graduated from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. He is a 1993 graduate of Lord Botetourt High School, Daleville.
STAFF SGT. BRYAN S. CARKIN, son of Loretta G. Semones of Roanoke, recently received a Meritorious Mast for outstanding service while assigned to Marine Corps Recruiting Station, Milwaukee, Wis. Carkin is a 1977 graduate of Andrew Lewis High School, Salem.
CAMPUS
JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY recently announced its December 1996 graduates from the Roanoke Valley. They are: Mark E. English, Heather L. Hain, Julia C. Hales, Christopher Perkins and Kimberly S. Vanhorn, of Roanoke; Leanne E. Cline and Suzanne M. Compton, of Salem; Lisa A. Haldren and Angela H. Jasper, of Vinton.
VIRGINIA WESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE recently announced a list of scholarship awards. Deedra D. Gill, of Vinton, was awarded the Alice Hinchcliffe Williams Dental Hygiene Scholarship. Bridgette Joyce, of Roanoke, was awarded the Continental Societies Scholarship. Stefaan Brown and Kevin Washington, both of Roanoke, were awarded the "If I Can Help Somebody" scholarship. Shameka Washington and Michelle Nicholson, both of Roanoke, were awarded the Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Payne Scholarship. Lakisha Holland, of Roanoke, and Angelina Vincent, of Salem, were awarded the 1996-97 Bridging the Gap scholarships.
Submit items to Jon Cawley in care of the Neighbors section by mail at P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010, by fax at 981-3346, or by e-mail at jonc@roanoke.com
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Mallonby CNB