FROM THE EDITOR:
AWESOME AVIATION PROJECT IDEAS
Here are some aviation projects you can consider for your next assignment:
Check out more project ideas, cool aviation resources and fun facts on the following websites:
• Aeronautics Learning Laboratory for Science, Technology, and Research: www.allstar.fiu.edu
• What designs of paper airplanes make them fly best?
• What thickness or weight of paper makes paper airplanes fly best? • Using purchased model airplanes (rubber band or electric or glider), what can be done to the design to make them fly best? For example, add weight to different areas of the airplane. • Design ways to analyze what makes for a better flight. For example, develop quantitative criteria that can be used to evaluate flight.
• Aviation & Aeronautics & Aerodynamics: Science Fair Projects and Experiments: www.juliantrubin.com/ fairprojects/engineering/aviation.html
• NASA Quest: http://quest.nasa.gov/
• San Fernando Valley 99s Aviation Explorers 747 Program: www.sfv99s.org/explorers.html
• Using purchased toy helicopters, what can be done to them to improve their ability to fly?
• Women in Aviation Resource Center: Education: Just for Kids: www.women-in-aviation.com/Education/ Just_For_Kids/
Remember that good research includes many repeats of experiments, and, if applicable, many experimental and control samples.
• Young Eagles Program of the Experimental Aircraft Association: www.youngeagles.org
Also, it’s best to conduct experiments with a hypothesis – meaning your assumption, or tentative explanation, for what you expect to occur once you conduct your experiment. For example, you might say, “My hypothesis is that paper airplanes made with heavier paper will fly best.” Then you test the hypothesis with your experiment and discuss the results and possible conclusions.
For more information about Van Nuys Airport, visit www.lawa. org/vny – and for fun kids’ stuff, check out Vinny’s Hangout by clicking on the “Kid Page” link under the “Information” tab.
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California State University, Northridge & Van Nuys Airport
For information about the other airports owned by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), log onto www.lawa.org. You can find more cool kids’ aviation activities by going to the LAWA “Kid Website” page at www.lawa.org/kidswebsite/mainpage.html.