AAUB wins global light aircraft design competition

Aviation and Aerospace University, Bangladesh (AAUB) — the country's first and only public university dedicated to aviation and aerospace — has become champion at the International Light Aircraft Design Competition organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), UK.

The university secured first place on 10 November, 2025, outperforming 35 universities, institutions and competing teams. This is the first time a Bangladeshi university team has won an international aircraft design competition.

RAeS is the world's only professional society dedicated solely to aerospace and aviation, and it organises the Light Aircraft Design Competition annually. This year's contest required participants to design an amphibious aircraft capable of carrying six to eight passengers and taking off and landing from both land and water, followed by a complete basic aircraft design.

The results were announced during the RAeS annual conference in London on 10 November, 2025. Immediately after the announcement, AAUB's winning team "Bihongo" — represented by Faculty Advisor Group Captain Dr Saifur Rahman Bakaul and students Md Redwan Hasan and Nusrat Binte Alam — presented the engineering details of their aircraft. Their presentation covered aerodynamics, propulsion, stability, avionics, performance and mission profile. They also demonstrated how the aircraft could be used for coral reef restoration and aerial biodiversity reimposition, illustrated through graphical models. The presentation took place in front of representatives from global manufacturers including Cessna, Boeing and Airbus, as well as academics from leading international universities.

AAUB said that its vice-chancellor, teachers, officers and staff made significant contributions throughout the design process. The vice-chancellor congratulated the Bihongo team for the achievement, calling it a historic milestone for both the university and Bangladesh.