Aerodynamics

If I try to make a crumpled sheet of paper fly, gravity will take over fairly quickly. How come gravity takes longer to subdue a paper airplane? There is something about the shape of an airplane, about its wings and its body, that resists falling down like a stone. If we learn about the paper airplanes, maybe we can get some insight into the real airplanes or birds or bumblebees – how they land, how they soar, how they support their own weight upon sheer gossamer of air.

During the aerodynamics sessions, we will learn to fold some of the best paper airplanes, and then will put our heads together to make small changes to the design and observe the effect. What if we make the nose heavier? Or the tail? What if we make the entire thing heavier? What if we make it bigger? What if we punch holes in it? What if we change the angle of the wings? What if we cut off some of the wings? What if we lengthen the wings and change their shape? What if we start them at a steeper angle? With the help of scales, protractor, distance meter and speed meter, we can gain intuitive understanding of many aspects of the aerodynamics at most accessible level.

We can also notice how paper airplanes land, and compare it to how real airplanes land. Could you imagine if real airplanes landed vertically, by crushing their noses into the ground? How hard could it be to control the lift and land at the correct landing strip? While I share tidbits from real pilots, participants can try to land their airplane (however modified) from point A onto a predetermined runway without bumping its nose.

When I worked for Bombardier, Canada’s iconic manufacturer of airplanes, sparkles of true passion for aerospace rubbed off on me. It seemed that everyone around me was either a pilot, or an engineer, or an aerospace historian, or another great authority of some aspect of aerospace; it seemed that all conversations around me were about airplanes. Wouldn’t it be great if our kids could grow up with the same passion?