Hong Kong students design space-saving storage for planes inspired by cramped city living
HKU students’ clever luggage storage idea earns them a trip to Toulouse to compete in an aviation design competition, with a big prize up for grabs
It’s an age-old dilemma for long-haul fliers: how can you keep your precious belongings close, while giving your legs enough space to stretch?
A group of undergraduate students from the University of Hong Kong’s department of mechanical engineering think they’ve solved the problem – and their idea has scored them a trip to France.
Darwing Li Kin-wing, Leo Lo Kwun-yu, Stewart Leung Shu-wai and Hayden Li Hean-ting, all 20 or 21, have become the first Hong Kong team ever to get to the finals in aircraft manufacturer Airbus’ global aviation innovation competition, “Fly Your Ideas”.
The team – called DEALead – have made the top five out of more than 350 entries for their pop-up underfloor storage compartment for planes, inspired by the way Hongkongers maximise space in their tiny apartments.
They will head to Toulouse next month where they’ll face off against four other teams from the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Australia and France in a bid to win the €30,000 (HK$254,309) prize.
Last year, teammates Leung and Darwing Li visited a plane hangar and noticed there was plenty of empty space in the floor under the seats.
