166 Model AviAtion
Science Olympiad (SO) is an
international nonprofit organization devoted
to improving the quality of science
education, creating a passion for learning
science, and providing recognition for
outstanding achievement in science
education by both students and teachers.
These goals are accomplished through
classroom activities, research, professional
development workshops, and the
encouragement of intramural, district,
regional, state, national, and international
tournaments. In Washington State alone,
roughly 100 middle and high schools, and
approximately 2,000 students are involved,
sponsored and aided by nearly 1,000
volunteers.
One of the SO events is “The Wright
Stuff.” Students construct and fly rubberpowered
indoor Free Flight models,
competing for longest flight time following a
strict set of rules. Following is a brief
compilation of the Wright Stuff event rules.
Teams will construct and test up to two
rubber-powered monoplanes to achieve
maximum flight times. Prior to the
tournament, teams will construct and test up
to two rubber motor-powered, propellerdriven
airplane(s) they may be constructed
from published plans, commercial kits and/or
a student’s design. All airplanes must meet
the following specifications:
a. Airplanes must be constructed only
from wood, paper, plastic film covering, and
glue except for the propeller assemblies and
motor hooks. Airplanes may not use solid
balsa wings or tail assemblies. The major
components (wing assembly, tail assembly,
propeller assembly, and motor stick) may be
attached to each other using thread, music
wire, malleable wire, paper or plastic tubes,
and/or rubber bands. Kits may be used;
however, they may not contain any pre-glued
joints or pre-covered surfaces.
b. Plastic or rubber o-rings may be used
to attach the motor to the airplane and
propeller drive. Any dense material may be
used for ballast.
c. Total mass of the airplane throughout
the flight, excluding the rubber motor, must
be 7.0 grams or more.
d. The airplane must be a monoplane (one
wing) not exceeding a maximum
horizontally projected wingspan of 40.0 cm.
There is no maximum wing chord (the
straight-line distance from the leading edge
of the wing to the trailing edge, parallel to
the fuselage) except for bonus application
(see bonus section). The maximum
horizontally projected stabilizer span is 20.0
cm, and the maximum stabilizer chord
(straight-line distance from leading edge to
trailing edge) is 6.0 cm.
e. The propeller assemblies may be built
by the competitor(s) or purchased
preassembled. It may include a propeller, a
shaft, a hanger, washers and/or a thrust
bearing. The propeller must be a single twobladed,
commercially made plastic propeller
with a maximum diameter of 20.0 cm. Any
propellers may be trimmed to meet this
specification. Any trimming/shaving/
twisting/adjusting of propellers is permitted
to balance, reduce its mass, or to change its
pitch before any flight.
f. Rubber motor(s) not exceeding a mass
of 1.5 grams (including any attachments such
as o-rings) must power the airplanes and will
be massed separately from the airplane.
Motors may be lubricated before and/or after
check-in. Officials will retain only motors
qualified during a team’s inspection and they
will be available to the team only for official
flights.
g. Each airplane must be labeled so the
event supervisor can easily identify to which
team it belongs.
The event must be held indoors. The
room dimensions (approximate length,
width, and ceiling height) should be made
available to teams in advance of the
competition. Directors and supervisors are
urged to minimize the effects of
environmental factors such as air currents
(e.g., doors, fans). After teams enter the
cordoned-off competition area to trim,
practice, or compete, team members may not
receive outside assistance, materials, or
communication. There will be a separate area
designated for spectators.
Each team must present a flight log of
recorded data during inspection. Data will
include at least six parameters for at least 10
test flights prior to the competition. Three
required parameters to be recorded are 1)
motor size before windup; 2) number of
turns on the motor at launch; and 3) flight
time. The team must choose at least three
additional data parameters beyond those
required.
Practice flights may occur throughout the
event but will yield to any official flight. No
trim or practice flights will be permitted in
the last half-hour of the event.
A self-check inspection station may be
made available to competitors for checking
their airplanes prior to being checked by the
judges. The use of any type of winder is
permitted. Inspection for each team will take
place immediately prior to that team’s two
official flights.
Teams may make up to a total of two
official flights using one or two airplanes.
Teams will be given an eight-minute “flight
period,” starting when their first official
flight begins, to launch their official flights.
Any flight beginning within the eight-minute
period will be permitted to fly to completion.
Participants may make adjustments/
repairs/trim flights during their official eightminute
period.
The winner is the team with the longest
flight time for either flight. Ties will be
broken by the longest time of the other flight.
Bonus points are available at the state
level if the airplane’s wing’s chord
(measured from leading edge to trailing
edge) measures less than 6.5 cm. and at the
national level if the airplane wing’s chord
measures less than 5.5 cm.
Teams that violate a “construction” or
“competition” rule that does not have a
specific penalty will be ranked after all teams
that do not violate those rules.
national Science education Standard:
Content Standard E: All students should
develop abilities of technological design and
understandings about science and
technology.
The Wright Stuff event is sponsored in
part by the AMA. Thanks to Claude Tanner,
Idaho associate vice president, for submitting
this information.
District XI
Bruce Nelson, District XI Vice President; [email protected]
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington
Bruce Nelson
Vice President
807 E. Vicksburg St.,
Spokane WA 99208
Fax: (509) 467-1852
Cell: (509) 863-7096
[email protected]
Associate Vice
Presidents
Rick Allison, Issaquah WA;
[email protected]
Darrell Anderson, Great Falls MT;
[email protected]
Al Culver, Wilder ID;
[email protected]
Jerry Holcomb, Vancouver WA;
[email protected]
Gene LaFond, Wenatchee WA;
[email protected]
Reeves Lippincott, Wasilla AK;
[email protected]
Mike Mosbrooker, Oak Harbor
WA; [email protected]
Claude Tanner, Boise ID;
[email protected]
Frequency Coordinator
Phil Tallman, Medical Lake WA;
(509) 299-5102;
[email protected]
District RC Coordinator
W.T. (Bill) Smith, Seattle WA;
[email protected]
Web site: www.yosemiteflash.com/
xiama.htm
District XI Volunteers
06amanews:11amanews.qxd 4/21/2009 12:13 PM Page 166
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 166