An undergrad from Sydney's University of Technology has won the International Division of NASA's 2008 Fundamental Aeronautics Student Designs

The 24-seat aircraft design is modular based and saves cargo space by having passengers store their own luggage under their seats

Passengers on the winning Georgia Tech design would not hear an engine roar until they reached the take-off end of the runway as taxiing is carried out using electrical power

The electric propellers used for taxi and initial take-off boost would then fold away

Around 1000hrs a pilot flying in western QLD contacted aviation authorities advising them that he had crashed and was injured

A 7-seat Piper Navajo had come down in rugged terrain about 50 kms north of Isa

Emergency Services were immediately dispatched and located the pilot - the only person on board - about 2 hours later

The pilot has suspected spinal injuries and is in a stable condition in Mt Isa Hospital