Cal Poly Professor helps to set new lightweight aircraft altitude record during class
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Cal Poly professor Paulo Iscold helped to set an unofficial altitude record for a Cub-style lightweight airplane late last month.
On Oct. 28, Dr. Iscold, a professor of aerospace engineering at Cal Poly, directed a Carbon Cub UL to a record-setting 37, 609 feet while students listened in as he coordinated with the pilot and air traffic control during class explained Cal Poly in a press release about the feat on Wednesday.
"What Paulo did here is take world-class flight test work and put students right alongside it," explained Interim Dean of the College of Engineering at Cal Poly Robert Crockett. "They heard the planning, the procedures, the coordination with air traffic control, and they saw how careful engineering makes something like this possible. That’s exactly the kind of experience that prepares our students for aerospace careers."
While the flight was not filed as an official attempt with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the flight climbed higher than the current record of 30,203 feet set by aviator Caro Bayley in a Piper Super Cub in 1951 as well as the official ultralight aircraft record of 35,062 feet set in 1996.
The flight took off from San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport at 9:55 a.m. and test pilot Jon Kotwicki reached peak altitude about one hour after takeoff and was still able to control the aircraft despite the extreme altitude and an outside temperature of minus 51 degrees Fahrenheit.
Air traffic controllers in the region were surprised to hear about a lightweight Cub aircraft at 37,000 feet noted Cal Poly.
The plane was manufactured by CubCrafters which develops high-performance aircraft intended for use in remote areas and was powered by a 85.8 kilogram Rotac 916 iS engine shared Cal Poly.
Local partners Aerocrafted supported the flight with facilities and ground equipment and Mountain High Equipment & Supply provided the supplemental oxygen system that was used at the record-breaking altitudes.
"This is my 17th aviation record, and it was one of the most fun to go after," beamed Iscold after achieving the unique flight. "In test flying, we plan for everything to go wrong. When everything goes right, that’s the flight you wanted. That’s the flight we got."
