The "Wright Stuff"

A Centennial of Flight Engineering Competition

GOALS:

To achieve the longest flight time in seconds (minimum of 6 seconds or 1/2 the original wright brother's flight time) or
have the greatest displacement in meters (minimum of 10 meters or about equal # of airplane body lengths to the distance of their longest flight)
for a rubber-band powered aircraft flown inside spencer gym on the 100^th anniversary of the wright brother’s historic flight.
This is a project grade.
 

To help you in doing this here are some weblinks for research:
 

1. Centennial of Flight site
2. Flight Fundamentals from NASA- The place to visit this weekend!
   > You can use the Java simulations under "Aircraft Parts" to see how elevators and flaps can keep help control the flight path of your airplane.
3. Reliving the Wright Way- NASA activities
4. Various wing designs:

          Midwest Educational Products
          Delta Darts
          Build and Fly
 

RULES:

•  You will be given in class 1 “SkyStreak” balsa wood rubber band powered aircraft made by Guillow’s Company (there is no “cockpit” area on our model).

•  You will also be given 1 styrofoam clamshell take-out box to use for your wings if you desire.

1. Your aircraft can only contain the main balsa body with its red propeller cap, hooks, and blue rubber band AND a vertical tail part from the original SkyStreak kit. You must design and construct you OWN WING(S) AND ELEVATOR(S). You may also alter the vertical tail in any way you see fit.

2. These wings and elevators must be detachable from the stock issued main body. Use balsa scraps to fit vertically into the "cockpit" slot or horizontally into the wing slots (without damaging the slots themselves) to create wing mounts. You can then tape or glue larger thin plastic tabs (available in class) to these wing mounts in order to then securely mount your own wings in a detachable way.

3. The horizontal elevators or tail fins and the stock wing may be used as patterns but cannot be used in the final design. No other pre-made or ready-to-assemble components may be used on your airplane. You can buy balsa wood or other lightweight materials in addition to the styrofoam you’ll be given.

4. There are to be no other means of propulsion for the contest besides the force you impart at takeoff and the single blue rubber band once it has left your hands.  Any snapped or lost rubber bands are to be replaced with identical parts by the student.

5. You must provide your own labeled paper bag or shoebox to store your airplane inside during the Monday and Tuesday. You will have access to scissors, white glue, & tape during lab.

6. Please bring your own materials to supplement this if you desire. A caution: aircraft glues will melt Styrofoam.

7. There is no limit to the size or mass of your airplane. No additional metal pieces may be used on the aircraft. All other materials that are not liquid, flammable, hazardous are fine. Instructors have final say on material choices.

8. The plane must be ready to fly on your class period on Wednesday, 12-17 at the start of class. The number of attempts will be determined by the instructor. You are responsible for keeping your fragile airplane intact and flight-ready.