Hello! We are PennAir, the University of Pennsylvania's SAE Aero Design team, a club of over 100 members passionate about engineering and aviation. We're excited to share our journey to the 2026 SAE Aero Design West competition in Fort Worth, Texas. This year, we're planning to compete in the Regular, Micro, and Advanced classes, showcasing a range of aircraft from a large 10-foot wingspan plane to a fully autonomous VTOL tailsitter. This competition is the culmination of a year’s worth of dedication, innovation, and teamwork, where we’ll compete against top engineering teams from across the country. It’s an incredible opportunity for us to put our skills to the test, learn from others, and represent our university on a national stage.

While we are grateful for the support we receive from our school, this year’s funding will only cover a portion of our total expenses. That leaves each team member with significant out-of-pocket costs for travel, materials, and competition fees. We’re reaching out to our community for help so that every member can participate fully, without financial barriers holding us back.

Your contribution will directly support our team’s journey, helping us focus on achieving our best performance yet. We believe this is our year to shine, and with your support, we can make it happen. Thank you for believing in us and helping us turn our hard work into success!