The AIAA AVIATION Forum is the only aviation event that covers the entire integrated spectrum of aviation business, research, development, and technology.
Event Tag: Aeronautics
AIAA AVIATION Forum 2027
The AIAA AVIATION Forum is the only aviation event that covers the entire integrated spectrum of aviation business, research, development, and technology.
30th Annual Design/Build/Fly Competition
The AIAA through the Applied Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design, Design Engineering and Flight Test Technical Committees and the AIAA Foundation invites all university students to participate in the Cessna/Raytheon Missile Systems Student Design Build Fly competition. The contest will provide a real-world aircraft design experience for engineering students by giving them the opportunity to validate their analytic studies;
Student teams will design, fabricate, and demonstrate the flight capabilities of an unmanned, electric powered, radio controlled aircraft which can best meet the specified mission profile. The goal is a balanced design possessing good demonstrated flight handling qualities and practical and affordable manufacturing requirements while providing a high vehicle performance.
To encourage innovation and maintain a fresh design challenge for each new years participants, the design requirements and performance objective will be updated for each new contest year. The changes will provide new design requirements and opportunities, while allowing for application of technology developed by the teams from prior years.
2026 Region V Student Conference
Conference Host: Iowa State University, Howe Hall & Sukup Hall, Ames, IA
Conference Dates: 26–27 March 2026
Take part in AIAA’s Regional Student Conference by presenting your research in a formal technical meeting, exchange ideas, and discuss programs with students from other universities in your region.
Please note: A high school or university student in good standing at their institution who is also an AIAA student member is eligible to submit a paper to the Regional Student Conference. The submitting and presenting author(s) must be AIAA student members. Any student may attend the Regional Student Conference but may be subjected to a higher registration fee if they are not AIAA members. Please click here for more information to join as an AIAA Student Member.
You must be attending a high school/college/university in Region V to participate in the Region V Student Conference. Students can petition to present at a conference outside their university’s region by emailing [email protected].
Region V includes Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. Additionally, it includes the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place winners for each category.
2026 Region I Student Conference
Conference Host: University of Maryland College Park
Take part in AIAA’s Regional Student Conference by presenting your research in a formal technical meeting, exchange ideas, and discuss programs with students from other universities in your region.
Please note: A high school or university student in good standing at their institution who is also an AIAA student member is eligible to submit a paper to the Regional Student Conference. The submitting and presenting author(s) must be AIAA student members. Any student may attend the Regional Student Conference but may be subjected to a higher registration fee if they are not AIAA members. Please click here for more information to join as an AIAA Student Member.
You must be attending a high school/college/university in Region I to participate in the Region I Student Conference. Students can petition to present at a conference outside their university’s region by emailing [email protected].
Region I includes Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington DC. Additionally, it includes students from the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place winners for each category.
Refer to the Student Conferences webpage for conference rules and FAQs.
AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026
The AIAA AVIATION Forum is the only aviation event that covers the entire integrated spectrum of aviation business, research, development, and technology.
Online Session – 2025 Regional Leadership Conference
Can’t make the 2025 AIAA Regional Leadership Conference in-person session on 20 July in Las Vegas? Join us virtually to hear the latest updates within AIAA’s Regions, Sections and Student Branches. Please note that the section awards presentation and roundtable discussions will only take place at the in-person RLC session on 20 July. We encourage your participation at both.
Agenda
Wednesday, 9 July
- 6-6:05 p.m. ET: Welcome
- 6:05-6:20 p.m. ET: AIAA National Updates & Branding Rollout
- 6:20-6:35 p.m. ET: Section Responsibilities & Succession Planning
- 6:35-6:45 p.m. ET: Section & Student Branch Funding
- 6:45-7 p.m. ET: A Checklist for Planning Great Events
- 7:10-7:20 p.m. ET: “Giving Back to the Next Generation” to include: Engagement with Student Branches, Young Professionals, STEM K-12, and Public Policy
- 7:20-7:30 p.m. ET: Recruiting & Retaining Members
- 7:30-7:40 p.m. ET: Social Media Best Practices
- 7:40-7:55 p.m. ET: Moderated Q&A
- 7:55-8 p.m. ET: Closing Remarks
Interested in attending the 2025 AIAA Regional Leadership Conference in-person session? Join us on 20 July in Las Vegas, Nevada.
2025 Regional Leadership Conference
Join us at the 2025 AIAA Annual Regional Leadership Conference. The Regional Leadership Conference (RLC) is designed to foster collaboration across the sections and student branches, share best practices, and inform officers about the latest updates from the Institute.
This year’s conference will offer roundtable discussions, announce the 2025 section award winners, and have a keynote presentation on “Dynamic Local Communities.” This is your chance to learn best practices from other sections, student branches, and exchange ideas.
Please note that registration for the 2025 AIAA AVIATION Forum or 2025 ASCEND is not required in order to attend the 2025 AIAA Regional Leadership Conference.
Agenda
Sunday, 20 July
- 1-1:15 p.m.: Welcome Remarks
- 1:15-1:40 p.m.: Presentation on “Building Dynamic Local Communities”
- 1:40-1:55 p.m.: AIAA Public Policy Update
- 1:55-2:20 p.m.: Section Awards Presentation
- 2:20-2:50 p.m.: Technical Symposia & Regional Student Conference Panel Discussion
- 2:50-3 p.m.: Break
- 3-4:40 p.m.: Roundtable Discussions on Various Topics in Membership Engagement
- 4:40-5 p.m.: Q&A and Closing Remarks
2025 AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and Exposition (AIAA AVIATION Forum)
The AIAA AVIATION Forum is the only aviation event that covers the entire integrated spectrum of aviation business, research, development, and technology.
AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization TC Webinar: “A Journey Towards MDAO” (AIAA Member Exclusive)
On Demand Recording Available
This on-demand webinar is free of charge and is open to the public.
Want to learn more about the benefits of AIAA membership?
Join us for “A Journey Toward MDAO,” presented by Kumar Bhatia, The Boeing Company (retired). Hosted by the AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Technical Committee, Bhatia will re-present his award lecture and discuss advancing the uses of MDAO (multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization). Bhatia received the 2022 AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Award for pioneering use of MDO in transport aircraft and developing a rapid approach for aircraft MDO employing appropriate fidelity analyses.