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fandomhigh2008-12-01 12:43 pm
mike-cannon.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2008-12-01 12:43 pm
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Achievements in Engineering Class #13, Period 2 Monday
Mike sipped hot cocoa out of his thermos as he waited outside of the Danger Shop for the students to join him. "Extra credit for anyone who can figure out how to brew a cup of coffee when your taps give you cocoa instead of water," he announced once they were all there.
"Today, we're going to be discussing flight. I'm sure you kids from the future have flown stuff that is way more elaborate than anything that I can show you, so we're going old school and flying a simulation of the Wright Flyer, the first powered aircraft built by the Wright Brothers," said Mike, leading the students into the Danger Shop.
"What made the Wright Brothers successful was their understanding of the three axes of control needed to fly an aircraft," Mike added. "The flight dynamics handout I'm giving you will explain it a bit better, but be sure you climb into the Flyer and play with the controls to see how they affect the pitch, yaw and roll."
"Finally, I do want to say something about the feud between the Smithsonian Institution and Orville Wright. Even though the Wright Flyer is acknowledged as the first heavier-than-air craft to achieve controlled flight, the Smithsonian gave credit to another man who was connected to the institution as the first to build a successful aircraft. This wasn't true, as that aircraft's first successful flight was years after the Wright brothers made their first flight. Orville responded by refusing to give the historic 1903 flyer to the Smithsonian until they retracted their inaccurate claims and the aircraft was displayed at the London Science Museum before finally returning to the U.S. after Orville's death. History is written by those who are in power, and sometimes they get it wrong for the sake of their own agenda. It's something to keep in mind as we look at the historical development of all these engineering achievements," said Mike.
"Okay, I've talked long enough. Go check out the Wright Flyer and have fun."
"Today, we're going to be discussing flight. I'm sure you kids from the future have flown stuff that is way more elaborate than anything that I can show you, so we're going old school and flying a simulation of the Wright Flyer, the first powered aircraft built by the Wright Brothers," said Mike, leading the students into the Danger Shop.
"What made the Wright Brothers successful was their understanding of the three axes of control needed to fly an aircraft," Mike added. "The flight dynamics handout I'm giving you will explain it a bit better, but be sure you climb into the Flyer and play with the controls to see how they affect the pitch, yaw and roll."
"Finally, I do want to say something about the feud between the Smithsonian Institution and Orville Wright. Even though the Wright Flyer is acknowledged as the first heavier-than-air craft to achieve controlled flight, the Smithsonian gave credit to another man who was connected to the institution as the first to build a successful aircraft. This wasn't true, as that aircraft's first successful flight was years after the Wright brothers made their first flight. Orville responded by refusing to give the historic 1903 flyer to the Smithsonian until they retracted their inaccurate claims and the aircraft was displayed at the London Science Museum before finally returning to the U.S. after Orville's death. History is written by those who are in power, and sometimes they get it wrong for the sake of their own agenda. It's something to keep in mind as we look at the historical development of all these engineering achievements," said Mike.
"Okay, I've talked long enough. Go check out the Wright Flyer and have fun."