Education
Land A Helicopter
What happens?
A model helicopter is connected to a rotating arm. There are two controls: a joystick controls the helicopter's angle to the horizontal, and a wheel controls the speed of the blades. You are invited to land the helicopter on an 'H' pad using these controls.
How does it work?
A helicopter has a spinning rotor with two or more long thin aerofoil shaped blades attached. The blade shape ensures that, when rotating, the air flowing over the top of the blade is faster than the air underneath, so the pressure above the blade is lower than the pressure below. When the blades spin fast enough, the pressure difference is sufficient to lift the helicopter straight into the air. Other controls enable the helicopter to hover, or fly in any direction.
Why is it important?
Helicopters are important in places where there isn't enough space for aircraft with wings to take off or land, for example for transporting people and materials to and from oil rigs in the North Sea, or for military activity in desert areas of Afghanistan. However, a helicopter has the disadvantage that as it has no wings, if its rotor fails it drops directly without the possibility of gliding to a safe landing.
How does it relate to the primary curriculum?
- Curriculum objectives: Economic awareness
- Thinking skills and personal capabilities: Thinking, problem solving, decision making; Self-management
- Area of learning - The world around us: Pupils can explore: how they interact in the world; the causes and effects of movement, forces and energy
- Learning experiences: Investigating and problem solving; Skills integrated; Active and hands on; Offers choice; Challenging and engaging
- Attitudes and dispositions: Commitment / determination / resourcefulness; Self-confidence
How does it relate to the post-primary curriculum?
- Science: Pupils should have opportunities to develop their manipulative skills
Thinking skills
Identifying factors in the situation; Analysing elements of the situation; Developing a plan of action; Choosing between alternatives; Determining and following rules in a situation
Learning styles
Visual; Kinaesthetic; Spatial; Intrapersonal
Where can you find out more?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_flight_controls (helicopter flight)
http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~leishman/Aero/history.html (a history of helicopter flight)