2005 Formula SAE

AURORA 101 ALLOWED JUST A SMALL SNIFF OF PETROL
FORMULA SAE SHOWDOWN FOR 2005

4 December 2005

Seven Aurora team members accompanied the display of the famous Aurora 101 solar car on the final day of the exciting Formula SAE run-offs for 2005 held on the Victoria University site at Werribee. This culminated in the years work for some 25 university teams to build a four wheel race car and compete against the other entrants in a series of events. This last day was dedicated mainly to keeping your hat on in the ripping wind and seeing the teams put their cars through the Enduro event. Eleven laps on a tight circuit which tested the dynamic and handling characteristics to the full. This year saw 4 overseas entrants. One from New Zealand, one from Bangalore India and two from Tokyo Japan. 2005 marked the first year of Japan having its own Formula SAE event.

In many ways the activities of Formula SAE are similar to the solar car activities. Mainly based around university teams, the designs seek to extract the best performance from the car produced. The disciplines of design, construction, reliability, and appearance cross between these two categories of competition.

Aurora 101 on display
Aurora 101 on display

Our favourite team had to be RMIT from Melbourne. Their Formula SAE faculty adviser Simon Watkins has added his aerodynamics expertise to making Aurora 101 the wind cheating shape it is. Up to the enduro event the RMIT entry was in second place but on the two allowed attempts it failed to finish the enduro.

Entries awaiting their run at the Enduro
Entries awaiting their run at the Enduro
The Enduro's tight and narrow circuit
The Enduro's tight and narrow circuit

Earlier in 2005 both the University of Western Australia and RMIT took their Formula SAE cars to compete in the USA and finished 2nd and 38th respectively in a field of 138 entries. RMIT also competed in Europe where it won first place.

It was not just good luck for University of Western Australia. They won overall first place.

The winners
The winners

Notably absent were any American entries. However it was great to see the other 4 overseas entries.

Sophia University Tokyo   Tokyo Denki University
Sophia University Tokyo   Tokyo Denki University
New Zealand entry   Bangalore, India entry
New Zealand entry   Bangalore, India entry

Monash University from Melbourne clearly linked their wind-tunnel activity to their car.

Monash down-force
Monash down-force
Number 66, from Monash   Its not all guys
Number 66, from Monash   Its not all guys

This event is superbly organised and run. All credit to SAEA's Stuart Charity and David Ford [former Chief Engineer of Ford Australia]. Performance Engineer from Ford Alan Thompson was Captain of the Design adjudicators.

Stuart Charity and Rob Chalker [from SAE International]
Stuart Charity and Rob Chalker [from SAE International]
David Ford, Treasurer of SAEA   Alan Thompson, Captain of Design Team
David Ford, Treasurer of SAEA   Alan Thompson, Captain of Design Team

We had a great day and left wondering whether Formula SAE could introduce a class for hybrid powered or electric racers?? Then we could spare Aurora 101 the sniff of petrol fumes.