SUHPA is being designed and built by a team of fourth year engineering students supported by post-graduates and academics in the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment. The project was initialed in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Southampton students building the first ever successful human powered aircraft (first flight 10th November 1961). We are aiming to take the last remaining Kremer prizes while demonstrating the world-class aerospace teaching, research and innovation at Southampton. The project is now in its fourth year; working from preliminary design, through to the first flight and on to the fastest ever recorded human powered flight in our mark II SUHPA aircraft, piloted by Guy Martin.

Human flight is a mythical endeavour and many a dreamer’s desire, making the project accessible and inspirational to all. It is practical, simple and bold, while at the same time intellectually stimulating and multi-disciplinary in nature. Students working on the project have fallen in love with it; camping out with the aircraft while making it flight ready during the summertime Icarus Cup. We have placed 3rd in this competition and first university team for the last two years.