The 2012 Polytechnique team dove head-first into the challenge of building the airplane that lifts the most cargo, all while respecting the dimensions limit of 225 inches and taking off in less than 200 feet. The team displayed their talents in presenting the Red Eagle, an aerodynamic monoplane. It had a home-made airfoil, tested in a wind tunnel against traditional airfoils. As well, the team developed a wing incidence angle control system but unfortunately, it was not ready in time for the competition. The Red Eagle flew with 34.1 pounds of cargo. The team, led by Martin Lafrance, finished 1st in technical presentation, 2nd in design, 2nd for most payload lifted and 1st overall.
