Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Zone I Conference United States Military Academy H Experiences using Flying Models in Competitions and Coursework Robert P. Hansen , Lyle N. Long / , Todd A. Dellert United States Military Academy/ / Pennsylvania State University Abstract The use of flying model airplanes in the undergraduate aerospace engineering curricula of the United States Military Academy and the Pennsylvania State University are described. Free-flight model gliders serve as projects in two courses that are part of the Aerospace Systems curriculum at the United States Military Academy. These course projects are described, and the educational benefits to the students are assessed. The experiences of the United States Military Academy and the Pennsylvania State University gained through involvement in student radio-controlled aircraft design competitions are also described. The United States Military Academy has fielded undergraduate teams in both the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Aero Design competition and American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Design, Build, and Fly competition in recent years. Undergraduate students from the Pennsylvania State University have participated in the Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) competition. The student design experience in each of these efforts is found to be very rewarding, however, differences do exist. The total cost for each of these competition projects varies by thousands of dollars. The cost per student, however, is found to be relatively similar with a maximum difference of less than $200. This paper describes and contrasts the costs, required effort, and benefits of these different student competitions.