Because of our work, we are in makerspaces all the time. Our software connects 3D printers, users, and files, so we often get a front-row seat of projects and programs.
Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with a high school senior and to explore along with her as she worked on a particular STEM project.
The project was a model airplane, and the teacher gave the class a wide scope. Each student was to build an airplane that could fly a minimum of 30'. Students could choose their style, their materials, and their means of propulsion.
There were only a few stipulations: range of wingspan; it could not be from a kit; and iterations were mandatory.
Her first idea was ambitious: to create an RC plane from scratch.
Now according to herself, this young woman has never really been interested in RC cars or planes. This meant she was exploring entirely new concepts and ideas.
She was able to source free, used bits and pieces for the first phase from another student. Although each student did have a budget, it made sense in the beginning to repurpose old parts and propellers.
Scaling her designs to different sizes, adding rice to the airplane nose to give it more weight - each step of the process was literally hands-on. At one point she demonstrated that, having calculated on paper where the center of gravity should be, she could pick her plane up and it would balance precisely at that point. Victory!
It was fascinating to see her discover the mechanics of flight. Having created a 30" wide cardboard model that could glide beautifully, she set about trying to make it remote-controlled.
This is where she ran into headwinds...pardon the pun!
For this second version, she switched from cardboard to foam. She estimated what size motor would be needed by the combined weight of materials. She successfully flew the plane remotely for more than the required 30'. She added landing gear and was able to repeatedly land it safely.
However, the servos she had bought online were not sufficient to control the wing flaps. This meant she had to choose: an RC plane that could land but not turn? Or a perfectly completed hand-propelled glider?
Time constraints decided her in favor of the simpler glider.
Interestingly, though, the story doesn't end there. What went into her decision to call the glider ‘enough’ is that she wants to do more. She wants to keep at the remote-controlled plane till she figures it out. She told us she now sees the world differently and is planning to keep going over the next few months on her own time.
She explained to us that dihedral wings (angled upwards) add to an aircrafts stability, and for this reason are used on most commercial aircrafts. However, anhedral wings are angled downwards, and are generally seen on aircraft where agility is key, such as military fighters.
And isn't that a success for a high school STEM class and its teacher!! They provided her the opportunity to explore something new. They are teaching students to iterate, to change a design, to try a new idea. They are allowing her to define success on her own terms.
And they have sparked an interest that is bound to last, long after this one student graduates, long after - again, pardon the pun - she takes flight with new opportunities.
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