Husky Flying Club: The highest-flying RSO you’ve probably never heard of

Three years ago, a group of Air Force ROTC cadets began meeting up periodically to talk about their love of planes. Conversations became goals, goals became concrete plans, and today, Husky Flying Club is making aviation more accessible than ever for the average college student. Binding the club’s many aspirations is one lofty, catch-all goal: give Huskies wings.

“Essentially, what we’re trying to do in Husky Flying Club is build a real, intimate community for students at UW to actually fly and join the aviation industry,” Devrin Chullanandana, a founding member and the RSO’s president, said. “We find that aviation right now is held and gated by a few obstacles, number one being the price. Also, the information, while not necessarily hidden, is not made easy for people to reach out to — at least for college students and young people. So, we’re offering them avenues.”

These avenues are apparent in Husky Flying Club’s shocking breadth: among other things, it grants its members the opportunity to utilize one of three military-grade flight simulators in Clark Hall’s Hangar 51 , compete on the drone racing team, or start the process of acquiring a pilot’s license with free ground school lessons — essentially driver’s ed for the aspiring pilot, which can otherwise run for hundreds of dollars.

In terms of funding, internally-sourced expertise certainly makes things easier. The ground school lessons are led by UW alum Norman Montes De Oca, an advanced ground instructor and private pilot who is lending his expertise to the RSO free of charge.

Husky Flying Club is working on a partnership with Alaska Airlines, and is in the process of becoming a nonprofit, meaning they’ll soon be able to receive donations.

For now, though, most fees are covered by the Student Technology Fee. Husky Flying Club has pulled in nearly $60,000 in successful proposals for equipment such as flight simulators, training drones, and a MultiGP drone racing course setup. One of the perks of creating a club at a research-focused university is the ability of the school to financially back innovations.

Ultimately, how far the club can take its members is up to them — joining the Discord server is commitment-free, and connects the RSO’s over 300 members with a myriad of services.

For the most dedicated, though, one project stands out.

“I think right now what I’m most focused on is the elephant in the room, which is building/bringing the first aircraft to University of Washington students,” Chullanandana said. “The exact model would be the RV12 … To put it plainly, it’s super sexy and really slick.”

The RV12 is a light-sport aircraft — meaning simple, small, and lightweight — available in a kit build. Under the mentorship of TeenFlight, its assembly (which, as of now, is planned to take place on-campus in the Engineering Annex) will have huge implications for UW — across the country, there are very few schools without flying programs that have their own aircraft.

Then, of course, there are the implications for UW students. Chullanandana hopes to bring together engineering and aerospace students in the aircraft’s assembly, as well as business-minded students in managing the club’s marketing and ever-increasing finances. 

The end goal? Experience, employability, and perhaps just the opportunity to participate in something great.

“With this being an R1 school, this will give students actual work experience in manufacturing, leading teams, and being a part of these long timeline projects to go into companies like Boeing and do research there, too,” Chullanandana said. “There are plenty of opportunities for research for students to pursue with the project, whether it be design, or even be a part of the materials process — we’re considering getting 3D print prototyping involved. There are just a ton of opportunities in terms of how new this aircraft is.”

Aviation can seem intimidatingly inaccessible, but with a steadily-growing list of services and accomplishments, Husky Flying Club is making good on that initial binding promise, providing an unprecedented space for students to explore a burgeoning appreciation for aviation — giving Huskies wings.

Reach writer Ariana Sutherland at arts@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @aristhrlnd

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