Nuclear-powered heavy cargo concept wins ST Engineering Antycip’s IT FLIES USA 2026 competition

press release

• Student aircraft designs from the University of Dayton were put to the test by professional test pilots on a Merlin flight simulator at the latest edition of the international aerospace engineering competition.

Paris (France), 29th April 2026 – ST Engineering Antycip has announced the results of IT FLIES USA 2026, the aircraft design and flight simulation competition that challenges aerospace engineering students to design an aircraft, defend their engineering decisions, and watch their concept evaluated in real time by a professional test pilot. This year’s US edition took place on 28 March at the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Best Aircraft Design was awarded to Cherry Noble, whose concept drew its inspiration from the Lockheed CL-1201. The CL-1201 was a 1969 Lockheed Corporation design study that envisioned an enormous nuclear-powered flying wing intended for heavy cargo transport and the airborne deployment of smaller support aircraft. True to the ambition of the source material, the Cherry Noble design was centred around four exceptionally large engines, with the nuclear reactor at its core described by its designer as the aircraft’s “glowing heart”. In evaluation, the concept demonstrated strong and predictable flight characteristics. Ground handling was noted as “unexpectedly good considering its size”, cruise stability remained solid even without pitch trim, and both roll and yaw control behaved reliably too.

The runner-up, Bright Star, offered a contrasting approach. This was a high-altitude stealth reconnaissance concept inspired by the fictional Darkstar aircraft from Top Gun: Maverick, which was designed for the film with input from Lockheed Martin and rooted in real-world hypersonic research. Focused on speed, aerodynamic efficiency and a precisely defined mission profile, Bright Star performed well in cruise before instabilities emerged during more demanding phases of flight. Although the mission objectives of the two designs differed considerably, each was assessed against their own set of performance criteria to ensure a fair evaluation based on the intended role of the concept.

Both concepts were flown on a Merlin flight simulator, the engineering-grade platform used by aerospace researchers, universities and defence organisations to design, test and validate aircraft using advanced physics modelling. Participants first presented their designs to a panel of judges before the test pilots took over, assessing each aircraft across ground handling, take-off, climb, cruise, approach and landing. The format mirrors the real-world design, simulate, validate cycle that operates across the aviation industry, giving students an authentic insight into how their engineering decisions hold up under evaluation conditions.

“IT FLIES is not about building a perfect design. It’s about putting ideas to the test, understanding how they perform, and learning from the outcome,” says Amir Khosh, Merlin Manager at Antycip, who hosted the day. “Just before takeoff is when the project becomes real for the students. Up to that point, it has been a design exercise. Once it’s in the simulator, students begin to see how their decisions hold up under evaluation. Watching the teams tackle such different problems at the same time is fascinating. You see completely different thought processes, priorities and problem-solving styles. That is the beauty of IT FLIES. There is no single right approach.”

“The IT FLIES USA competition was an incredibly unique and amazing experience,” says Grace Schreyer, a participant from the University of Dayton. “It was great to have our work tested by real pilots and to get real-time feedback. My favourite aspect is the in-depth conversations the students are able to have with the pilots and professors. They provide critical insight into both engineering and professional development.”

With IT FLIES USA 2026 concluded, attention now turns to the UK edition of the competition, which takes place in Swansea. IT FLIES is open to universities worldwide, including those without access to a Merlin simulator. Designs can be submitted using an offline editor and tested remotely on Antycip’s own equipment, with performance results returned to the team.

For those considering entering, Antycip will also host a free live webinar on 6 May, From Concept to Cockpit, where a test pilot judge, a former competitor and the Merlin Manager will walk through the competition in detail and answer questions. Details and registration are available at steantycip.com/events/it-flies-webinar.