A research paper by undergraduate Aerospace Engineering students at the School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, has been accepted for presentation at the AIAA Student Conference, taking place in Sydney this December.

The paper, “An Experimental Study on the Efficacy of the Custer Channel Wing,” was authored by third-year aerospace students Denis Kuropatkin and Sam A. M. Al-Jaboby, and was guided by Dr Eldad Avital.

The study re-examines the Custer Channel Wing concept, in which a propeller is mounted inside a curved wing section to accelerate airflow and enhance lift at low forward speeds. Notably, the team derived new analytical arguments linking propeller thrust to aerodynamic efficiency, establishing conditions under which the channel wing can outperform a conventional wing. These theoretical advances were then tested experimentally through a series of low-speed wind-tunnel trials.

Their results demonstrated that powering the channel wing can significantly increase lift and delay stall behaviour under specific operating conditions, offering renewed insight into the aerodynamic viability of such configurations for lightweight and Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft.

This achievement showcases the strength of student-led research within Queen Mary university of London’s aerospace programmes. Congratulations to Denis and Sam on this well-deserved recognition.