PLANES

Day in the Park: Planes

While DiP 2021 is in the past, the resources we've gathered and created for it will be available on this website indefinitely. Please take a look around!

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Videos

Now I know all of these embedded YouTube videos look the same, but each one below points to a different segment of the video. We've identified each speaker's section, so you can go right to that clip rather than looking for it in the complete video (if you do want to watch the complete video, that is linked just above this text). Keep scrolling past the videos for links to resources and information related to today's exploration of planes!

Innovation in aerospace is driven by technology. This includes composite materials, which David has helped to design for products as diverse as golf clubs, prosthetic limbs, and race car chassis. There are a variety of careers in high demand that require specialization in composites.

Duration: 33:12

David Cox

IPT Lead/ Sr. Manufacturing Engineer Northrop Grumman Triton & Global Hawk Program

Tim Bayne and Sam Brown take us through the flight simulator at Fairmont State, part of their aviation program. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to learn how to be a pilot? Get a glimpse behind the scenes and learn more about careers in aviation.

Duration: 27:31

Tim Bayne

Flight Program Manager

Now that you're interested in a career in aviation, learn about the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), a club for people interested in model aviation. This hobby can lead to experience that benefits a variety of careers.

Duration: 31:39

Ed Waske

Chief Operating Officer of EASW

Get a look behind the scenes of aircraft maintenance, inspection, and repair with Michael. It takes a lot of expertise and a diverse team of professionals to keep planes in the air. Learn about local apprenticeship and educational opportunities.

Duration: 14:24

Michael Horne

Supervisor of Planning, Mitsubishi Heavy Equipment Regional Jet

Shannon shares her work at NASA to develop electric-powered planes. This is one of the ways researchers are working to make air travel more "green." This requires many different types of engineers, material scientists, pilots, ground crews, technicians, machinists, project managers, analysts, technical writers, and many other professionals.

Duration: 27:19

Shannon Eichorn

Strategic Communications Lead for NASA's Advanced Air Vehicles Program

Look at some advanced aircraft concepts with Jesse. Subsonic transport, sustainable air travel, and new composite materials. Learn about the key forces on any aircraft: lift, weight, drag, and thrust. See some graphics of the new planes NASA is working on, including new innovative types of wings.

Duration: 29:26

Jesse Quinlan

Aeronautics Systems Analysis NASA Langley Research Center

Learn about the X-59 QueSST, NASA's experimental low boom airplane. Scientists are working on ways to create a quieter "boom" when planes break the sound barrier (flying faster than about 700 miles per hour). Sarah talks us through the physics of sonic booms and what her team is doing to lessen that noise.

Duration: 24:01

Sarah Waechter

Low Boom Flight Demonstrator Project

April shares some of the cutting edge research NASA is doing in aviation. The technology NASA is developing today will be used in planes you may take in the next five to ten years. Learn about NASA internships for high schoolers and college students that are available for you!

Duration: 18:43

April Lanotte

STEM Integration Lead / NASA Aereonautics Research Mission Directorate

Resources

Play our Quiz

The FPG-9 Glider is a classic!

You can find the template here, and a full set of instructions here.

The FPG-9 Glider is a classic!

You can find the template here, and a full set of instructions here.

NASA Educator Guide

Unmanned Aircraft Systems - Grades 5-8

https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/unmanned-aircraft-systems-educator-guide.html

Four standards-aligned activities help students learn about unmanned aircraft systems in NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.

  • Use the engineering design process to design and build a propeller that will generate enough thrust to drive a propeller car.

  • Investigate the impact of mass on the average speed of a propeller car.

  • Learn about the basics of programming while navigating a robotic ball through a maze without hitting any obstacles.

  • Combine graphing, problem-solving, creativity and math skills to simulate navigating a drone from a given starting point to an ending point with the shortest flight path while avoiding obstacles.

Shannon Eichorn

Strategic Communications Lead for NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program

Director Greg Blaney

Director of NASA's IV&V Program

NASA IV&V Facility

Todd Ensign

Education Resource Center Program Manager

NASA IV&V Facility

April Lanotte

STEM Integration Lead

NASA Aereonautics Research Mission Directorate

Jesse Quinlan

Aeronautics Systems Analysis Branch

NASA Langley Research Center

Sarah Waechter

Deputy Project Manager for Execution for the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator Project

President Mirta Martin

President of Fairmont State University

Michael Horne

Supervisor of Planning, Mitsubishi Heavy Equipment Regional Jet


Tim Bayne

Flight Program Manager

Ed Waske

Chief Operating Officer of EASW

David Cox

IPT Lead/ Sr. Manufacturing Engineer Northrop Grumman Triton and Global Hawk Program