Build a Ring Wing Glider With NASA! | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Create a ring wing glider using a piece of paper and test its flight performance to explore the engineering design principles behind a new type of aircraft.

Key Insights

• 💨 NASA Langley Research Center focuses on designing advanced technologies to make aviation more environmentally friendly and transform the way we fly.
• 😘 The ring wing glider activity helps participants explore the principles of economical and efficient aircraft design.
• 😘 Curling the ends of the paper to create a ring wing improves the flight characteristics of the glider.
• 😘 Testing and experimentation with variables like diameter, wing type, and folds enable the design of the best glider possible.

Transcript

HELLO, EVERYONE. THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY AT NASA LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER FOR A FUN ACTIVITY BASED ON AERONAUTICS. HERE AT NASA, WE DESIGN, DEVELOP, AND TEST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL MAKE AVIATION MUCH MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, MAINTAIN SAFETY IN MORE CROWDED SKIES, AND ULTIMATELY TRANSFORM THE WAY WE FLY. AIRPLANES OF THE FUTURE ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the purpose of the NASA ring wing glider activity?

The purpose is to demonstrate engineering design principles and explore how different variables affect the flight performance of the glider.

Q: How can you improve the flight characteristics of the glider?

By making one change to the design at a time, such as altering the diameter, varying the folds, or using different types of paper, you can test and observe how it affects the glider's flight.

Q: Why is curling the ends of the paper important in creating the ring wing glider?

Curling the ends changes the shape of the wing, improving the flight performance by balancing the weight distribution and creating lift.

Q: What is the suggested approach for experimentation with the glider's design?

NASA suggests keeping an engineering log, quantifying changes by measuring them, and changing only one variable at a time to observe cause/effect relationships in flight changes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• NASA Langley Research Center introduces a fun activity based on aeronautics, aiming to design more economical and efficient aircraft.

• Participants fold a piece of paper diagonally, make a half-inch fold along the edge, and curl the ends to make a ring wing glider.

• The activity encourages testing the glider's flight performance, making changes to the design, and quantifying the effects.