Do Try this at Home

The Parts Bin

This post is for those who may want to take their towel aircraft higher or simply for another flight. Below is the list of items used, besides the students airframes, to make these planes fly. This is the same list I sent out in one of the Aviation program e-mail group. It has been divided by vendor. There are only 4 different vendors.

 

Though it may look extensive each item was sourced to find the right items for a good price for the planes.

 

The hardware below was used in the Discovery Place program airplanes to make them fly

(You can make substitutions in many cases and still have a working airplane)

The total cost to get the airframe each student has, flying given the list below is around $160 plus shipping.

 

LOWES

Qty. 1- $5.98 each – (Coroplast) The Hillman Group Blank Sign (this is used to build the deck that holds all of the control parts) This material is available instore.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_236805-37672-844496_0__?productId=3027085&Ntt=blank+sign&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dblank%2Bsign&facetInfo=

NOTE: This material was cut out to specs listed on the Brooklyn Aerodrome website.

http://brooklynaerodrome.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/towel-1-2-plans/

 

Qty. 1- $? – Zip ties to hold the deck to the airframe as well as holding the motor servos and electronics to the deck. These are available at any hardware store.

To make the decks easily changeable the After School Aviation program used the following item to secure the decks to the airframe, rather than standard zip ties.

$14.00- Makedo FreePlay kit for 1. (The zip ties in these kits are easy to remove and reuse. They do however break somewhat easily in a crash).

http://www.amazon.com/Makedo-FreePlay-Kit-For-One/dp/B007UN44KW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363548833&sr=8-1&keywords=makedo 

 

 

AMAZON.COM

Qty. 1 - $79.98 each - Controller TTX404 4 Channel 2.4GHz TX/RX no servos  (this transmitter does come with the receiver) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043RGYQK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=brooklaerodr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0043RGYQK

Qty. 2 - $7.95 each – Servos Hex Tronik HXT900 micro servo 9g / 1.6kg

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004P6EQ9Q/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=brooklaerodr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004P6EQ9Q

Qty. 2+ - $4.52 each – Slow Fly Propeller 10x4.7 SF

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006O6SD8/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=brooklaerodr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0006O6SD8

 

HOT DEALS

Qty. 1 - $27.95 each – 400 size Outrunner Brushless Motor A2212 and speed control. (under choose options – RPM/V or KV we chose 1400) (under speed control we chose 20A brushless ESC for planes)

http://www.batteryheatedclothing.com/products/Outrunner-Brushless-Motor--A2212-10-27-oz.-plane.html

NOTE: preparing these parts for use will require some soldering.

HOBBY KING

Qty. 1+  - $5.64 each – 1750mAh 2s 7.4V 20C Lipoly Pack (Battery Pack)

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7312&aff=106965

Qty. 1 pack - $2.44 per 5 pack – Male XT60 connectors (5pcs/bag) One of these will be soldered to the power wires on the ESC (electronic speed control)

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=10414&aff=106965

NOTE: preparing this part for use will require some soldering.

 

 

NOTE: The charger listed below was not used in the After School Aviation program but should be a good low cost alternative for individuals.

Qty. 1 - $11.44– Turnigy 2S 3S Balance Charger 110/240V input

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8247&aff=106965

Given a need for vast charging needs in the EMS Lab at Discovery Place, the After School Aviation program used the following charger.

$89.99- Quattro 4X6S Lithium Polymer multi charger

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__10327__HobbyKing_Quattro_4x6S_Lithium_Polymer_Multi_Charger.html  

The charger was used along with the following power supply (which also serves multiple purposes in the EMS Lab)

Around $99 – eFuel 20A Switching DC Power Supply.

http://www.skyrc.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=40&product_id=47

 Also if you or your students want any assistance in getting their plane flying please feel free to contact me. 

   

 



Session 10 Time For Flight

Session 10 Time for Flight

This session concluded our after school aviation program. The end of goal of this session was to have each student get their plane into the air. That is what happened. We had cheers, high fives, and shouts of elation from students and parents. What an epic finale to this great program.



 

We had great turnout by parents and family members. Every one of our students flew their plane. Some of the more impressive flights were the one that crashed into the school building, the one that landed about 90 yards down the soccer field. The greatest flight went at least 100 feet up and about 120 yards in length. It flew past the end of the soccer field and ended up landing in a tree. Working as a team the students successfully recovered the plane. Sadly the on plane cameras we used did not record anything other than lots of blue sky, so we left those videos off. Below you will see videos of some of the great and not so great flights.

 



 

 

As you can see the excitement level was high with all of the students. They were not only excited about their own flights but also by the flights of their fellow classmates.



 

 

 

Below is the amazing Piedmont IB vs. Airplane exchange. The airplane lost.



 

 

Even with all of the new pilots the planes held up surprisingly well. The durability and repairability of these planes is amazing. The photo below shows some of the students with their planes after the flights.

 



 

 

 

Though this looks a lot like play it certainly is much deeper. These students took ownership of the creation of their planes. They became so excited the moment their planes went into the air. They used tools they had not seen before. They constructed a structure with system components that was capable of mating up with control and power hardware. They utilized geometry and math. They learned how to draw in 3D and how to convert that "CAD" type file into a "CAM" file of machine code for 3D printing. They explored the details of setting up a 3D print, which is much more like machine tool work than printing. They got their start with some basics of flight and over ten weeks made wings that literally soured.

 

Here are some parting thoughts about the program from the students themselves.

 



 

 

 

Thank you to all of the students and parents that took part in this program. I know it was a sacrifice of time and energy for many of you. As I have said before the students were fantastic. The devotion they had to the program showed through. That is why of the airplanes made it into the air and some even took long journeys.