Focus on Education - 2003/03

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IS YOUR WIFE interested in learning how
to build and fly model airplanes? Do you
have a daughter, granddaughter, niece, or
maybe a young lady in your neighborhood
who wants to discover the joys of flight?
Are they interested in becoming engineers,
or architects, or pilots?
No matter what the age of the females in
your life, please read, and ask them to read,
the following letter:
“I am writing to you and the AMA as the
secretary and treasurer of the Warped Wings
Model Airplane Club, charter 2820, in
Allendale, Michigan. My name is Dave
Dykwell, AMA 344382, and I feel we have
a worthwhile educational story to share with
the Academy and its members.
“This past summer, we were blessed with
an opportunity to work with one of our local
colleges, Grand Valley State University,
which happens to be a close neighbor to our
flying field, and team with another local
club, Grand Valley Radio Control (RC).
They heard about us through word of mouth
as a local source for radio control flying
expertise.
“I was contacted by Margo L. Dill,
Program Coordinator, Regional Math and
Science Center, regarding a new program
the University was conducting to encourage
youth in the areas of Math and Sciences.
The program, entitled Science Technology
and Engineering Preview Summer, or
STEPS, is an extension of the University of
Wisconsin-Stout, College of Technology,
Engineering and Management. It was
founded and designed to foster excitement
and growth in the areas of math, engineering
and technology for young women.
“Sponsored by the Society of
Manufacturing Engineers Educational
Foundation (SME), the program was set up
as a week-long camp where young girls
entering the seventh grade were invited from
across the State of Michigan to receive
unique hands-on growth experiences. The
primary objective was to introduce these
young women to the opportunities for
technical careers early enough to influence
their choices of math, science, and technical
courses in middle and high school.
“The program was extensive, covering
CAD, CAM, mold and jig engineering, the
Internet, environmental science, team
building, and aviation. Additional activities
included a trip to the museum, rock wall
climbing, water-quality testing on Lake
Michigan, and use of university facilities.
“Grand Valley was fortunate enough to
attract 90 young women for this program,
yielding two separate week-long camps of
45 participants. Combining all these
disciplines, the girls designed, constructed,
and flew RC airplanes.
“Using a proven model provided by the
program, our role was to provide consulting
in proper construction, flight testing, safety,
and in flight instruction. Working in teams,
the girls learned how to use CAD to build
the jigs for cutting the model’s primary
assembly parts. They designed and built the
device to cut the foam wing cores. They
learned about injection and blow molding,
designing the forms and methods to produce
the clear canopies and the epoxy nose cone
used for proper weight ballast.
“Each girl built her own airplane, folding
and hot-gluing the fuselage, installing the
elevator, stabilizer and rudder, joining the
wing cores, and covering with contact paper.
Due to financial considerations, several
universal motor pods were designed and
built from ply and balsa, covered with
epoxy, painted and fitted with a Norvel .61
for power.
“Several universal and interchangeable
control module tray assemblies were built
from foam core to house the servos,
receiver, batteries, and control rods. These
could be installed, utilized, removed, and
reinstalled in the next airplane with relative
ease and speed.
“Several JR radios with different
frequencies were purchased to control two
channels, elevator, and rudder. Each airplane
was to be hand-launched and flown at full
power, until fuel was spent.
“In preparation for flight instruction, the
STEPS program introduced each young
person to virtual flight using the Great
Planes RealFlight simulators. For further
experience and excitement, each participant
received a ride in a full-scale Cessna
Skylane at Gerald R. Ford International
Airport.
“Our groups provided the STEPS
instructors with assembly advice along with
an overview of RC flying. We also reviewed
proper flight and field safety instructions
with each group.
“In order to provide 45 girls with handson
instruction and actual stick time within
one evening at the field, we established a set
of detailed plans and procedures to
accomplish our objective. Four individual
stations were created, each with three stages.
The first stage was staffed by two club
members to prepare the airplanes for flight.
They were responsible for installing the
control modules, connecting linkages,
inspecting controls, mounting the motor
pod, and ensuring proper balance.
“Once the airplanes were ready, they
were brought to a second restricted area
where two club members fueled, started, and
Focus on Education
Jack Frost
AMA Education
Coordinator
Tel.: (765) 287-1256
Ext. 515
[email protected]
mar03.qxd 12.19.02 10:24 am Page 160
tuned the motor, and readied the airplane for hand launch. The third
stage was at the flightline where the instructor and STEPS student
were stationed for control of their individual airplane.
“The group of 45
girls with airplanes was
then divided into four
separate, color-coded
groups and assigned to
a specific station. One
club person, working in
conjunction with the
STEPS coordinators,
established an order
within each of four
groups and facilitated
moving the students to
the preflight staging
area. Other club
volunteers assisted with
after-flight airplane
retrieval, repairs for
second attempts, and
crowd safety control.
“Once launched,
flight instructors
trimmed and brought
each airplane to a
desired altitude—four
to five mistakes high—
and allowed the student
to take the controls. As aptitude and flight characteristics varied per
student and airplane, so did the amount of stick time. Some girls
actually flew their airplane all the way down to the point of landing,
while others required constant or moderate assistance.
“Surprisingly, we had very few fatalities and we were able to
successfully launch and allow each of the 45 students to attempt a
flight—all in one evening. The students, faculty, and club members
all learned with this experience, and most importantly we all enjoyed
ourselves while doing it.
“After a debriefing meeting, our groups unanimously agreed to
continue this program next year. The benefits were tremendous. It
brought our club closer to a significant community neighbor and
another local RC club. Together, we gave the excitement of RC
flight to more than 90 young individuals, and a few older faculty
members, who had not experienced it before.
“The program, featuring the students, the university, and our
clubs received excellent media coverage in the local newspaper and
on TV. Several large corporate funding sponsors also attended the
flight event at our field. Our club and our hobby were well exposed
to the public. It was exciting for us and every participant. Well worth
the effort. What a terrific program!”
Dave Dykwell can be contacted at (800) 777-1619, extension
4767, or at home during the evening at (616) 457-9443. His E-mail
address is [email protected].
Information about the S.T.E.P.S. program can be found at:
www.gvsu.edu/news/news_article.cfm or
www.engineer.gvsu.edu/steps/, or by contacting: Kathy Carter, SME
Education Foundation, One SME Dr., Box 930, Dearborn