Cadets in the Core Engineering Sequence Capstone Project Course distinguished themselves in the 6th Annual Flightline of the Future Competition at Lockheed Martin’s Center for Innovation (The Lighthouse) in Suffolk, VA. This inter-service academy competition brought together three teams each from USMA, USAFA, and USNA. The three West Point teams presented their research, each sponsored by unique clients from Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky. One team explored the viability of using Augmented Reality technology to improve AH-64 maintenance; a second team examined how the integration of Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) could improve point-of-use sustainment for the UH-60; and the third team sought to optimize personnel staffing at the Global Logistics Services special operations manufacturing plant in Lexington, KY. The Augmented Reality team took 1st Place, and USMA won the Best Team award for the first time in the history of the competition. The victory was especially meaningful, as DSE’s non-engineering majors conducting one-semester projects beat Operations Research students from Air Force and Navy who had full-year capstones.
Photo: L-R CAPT Robert Brooks, COL Walter Isenhour, Mr. Jeff Napoliellio, Mr. Jorge Aguilar; Cadets Bryan Dude, Gabrielle Carpenito, Samuel Braunseis, David Lee, Dashawn Davis, Colin Laird, Jackson Luff, Bailey Bowlin, Jake Lee, Joseph Snider, Mackenzie Lysek, Nicholas Tobin, Timothy Mills; MAJ James Comstock, CPT Daniel Newell; Dr. Marilyn Gaska, Lockheed Martin event coordinator