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A mechanical Engineering student from the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, Sarah Meehan, embarks on a Vintage air rally in November, piloting her vintage biplane aircraft, a De Havilland Dh82-A Tigermoth, from Greece down through Africa with her Dad.

Forming part of an air rally with Crete2Cape , the duo depart Crete on the November 12 and arrive in Cape Town five weeks later. The course recreates the African aviation of the 1920s and follows in the slipstream of the early pioneers.

Sarah is excited to connect with some of the most beautiful and evocative points in Africa while applying her engineering knowledge. “As a mechanical engineering student and pilot I know that I can look at an aircraft and have a thorough understanding it, the engine as well as the control systems,” said Sarah.

Flying low along the Nile from Cairo to Khartoum, past the highlands of Ethiopia, the plains of Kenya and the home of African aviation in Nairobi, the duo will be off again past Kilimanjaro into the Serengeti and on to the spice island of Zanzibar.

After a short pause they will continue, crossing Zambia to Victoria Falls, before continuing to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. The final days take them across South Africa, to Cape Town.

Sarah is eager to be passing through her home country of Botswana and sees her degree as extremely valuable on this trip. “Subjects I studied, such as Fluid Mechanics, allow for a link between the theoretical and practical understanding of the effect air flow has over an aircraft wing, the lift created and the mixture of gases in the carburettor,” said Sarah.

As an international student and explorer, Sarah said “I think real world connections are the most exciting thing for me. Each class at UWA was an opportunity to learn something new about the world that we live in.”

You can follow Sarah's journey here .

Media references

Lauren Humfrey (UWA Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics) (+61 8) 6488 2260