Testing Aircraft Wings

Using a toy or model aircrafts, or a photo of an aircraft, review with students how the four forces of flight act on an aircraft.

Discussions

Discussion prompts can include:

• “What force pulls an aircraft down? (gravity)
• What force must an aircraft overcome in order to get off the ground?” (weight)
• “What force is applied in the opposite direction to weight? (lift)
• “What force pushes an aircraft forward?” (thrust)
• “What force acts against thrust? (drag)
• What parts of an aircraft are involved in creating thrust?” (propellers, jet engines)
• What parts of an aircraft are involved in creating lift?” (wings, rotors)

Language

You may wish to create a word wall, or have students create a personal dictionary of important terminology.

Engage students in a think-pair-share activity. Have them:

• Think: Think about the changes that could be made to the model, or the photo of the aircraft used above, to make that aircraft fly better (fly further using less fuel, take off quicker, fly faster, etc.).
• Pair: Partner with another student and share their ideas with their partner.
• Share: Share some of their ideas with the class.

Ask students to clarify why they think the changes they suggest will improve the plane’s function.

Inform students that this type of discussion regularly occurs in the aeronautics industry. For example, airlines want to carry more people and cargo onboard. They want to get to their destination much quicker. They want to use less fuel. Sometimes these things require new planes to be designed and built. Designing or redesigning aircrafts involves a team of many different people.

Encourage students to share any knowledge they have of jobs involved in the aviation industry. This could include engineers, interior designers, and electricians to name a few. 

Discussions

Discussion prompts can include:

• “What changes could be made to the wings? How would that change how the aircraft flies?”
• “What changes could be made to the aircraft body? How would that change how the aircraft flies?”
• “What changes could be made to the aircraft’s engines? How would that change how the aircraft flies?”

Community Connections

Most students may not be aware of the variety of careers in the aeronautics industry. Take a moment to point out that, in addition to pilots, flight attendants and ground crew, there are many jobs required to get planes in the air and from one place to another. There are jobs in design and building of aircraft, in cleaning, servicing, repairing and maintaining aircraft, in controlling aircraft traffic in the air and on the ground, and in customer service.

Explain to students that they will be taking on the role of a team who are working to answer the question “How does the shape of a plane’s wing affect lift?”

In this role, they create cardboard aircraft models and test them using a wing-testing rig that mimics a wind tunnel setup.

Show the rig to help students visualize how their wings will be tested. Demonstrate how to use the rig using the test plane you created as shown in this video.

Testing an aircraft using the aircraft testing rig (©2022 Let’s Talk Science).

Arrange students in groups of 3-4. Provide each group with a copy of the Aircraft Designers Notebook reproducible [Google doc] [Word doc] [PDF] and have them complete the Define the problem section on the first page.

Language

Instead of using the reproducible, students could answer the same questions in a science journal. If the reproducible is to be completed online, you can install google read and write to support students.

Next, have students complete the Design the Experiment section on the second page of the reproducible.

Idea

Students could use a brainstorming strategy such as Carousel Brainstorming or Crazy 8s to think of ways to design the experiment.

Ask students to identify the variables that will be manipulated (independent variables), the variables which will be measured (dependent variables), and the variables which need to keep constant (controlled variables) to ensure a fair test.

If they need practice in doing this, review the top part of the Asking Testable Questions and Identifying Variables Backgrounders.

Language

You may wish to post definitions of the three types of variables. If necessary, provide additional examples of these types of variables.

Ask a member from each group to present their ideas. Record ideas as they are presented. Ask students to clarify or expand on their thinking as necessary.

Ensure that students understand that the independent variable is the cross-sectional shape of the wings and that the dependent (responding) variable is the amount of lift generated by each wing shape.

Students should also recognize that some variables need to be held constant to ensure the tests are fair (e.g., the speed of the fan, the distance from the fan to the rig, the angle of the fan, the size and weight of the aircraft model used).

Engage students in deciding how they will measure the amount of lift generated by each wing shape.

For example,

• It could be the height that the plane rises on the rig (e.g., markings on skewers to measure the height that the plane rises)

  

  Image - Text Version

  Shown is a colour diagram of a cardboard airplane on skewers above a styrofoam block, with a ruler measuring the distance between the wings and the block. 
  
  Long skewers go through holes at the end of each wing, and into the the styrofoam below. The plane has risen on the skewers, above the two shorter skewers that had propped up the middles of the wings.
  
  On the left, a yellow ruler measures the distance between the wing and the styrofoam below.

• It could be the amount of load that can be lifted (e.g., paper clips attached to the fuselage)

  

   
  Image - Text Version

  Shown is a colour diagram of a cardboard airplane on skewers above a styrofoam block, with two paperclips attached to its body. A ruler measures the distance between the wings and the block.
  
  Long skewers go through holes at the end of each wing, and into the the styrofoam below. Two paperclips have been added to the underside of the plane. The plane has risen on the skewers, above the two shorter skewers that had propped up the middles of the wings.
  
  On the left, a yellow ruler measures the distance between the wing and the styrofoam below. This distance is a bit shorter than in the diagram above.

• It could be a combination of both 

Discussions

• “How can we make sure that we conduct a fair test?”
• “Which variables will be constant? Which variable will change?” (The variable that changes is the wing shape. Everything else is constant.)
• “How will we measure the lift of the different wing shapes?” (e.g., what criteria will be used to determine how changes to the wing shape of the paper aircrafts affect their lift?)

Inform students that next they will make their aircraft models to test the effect different wing shapes have on lift.

To help them control some of the variables they have listed above, you will provide them with a template for the plane’s body (fuselage) wings and tail.

Provide each group of students with a copy of the Aircraft Template reproducible [Google doc] [Word doc] [PDF].

Before they do any cutting, review safety related to using scissors.

The groups will need to:

1. Cut out the shapes on the paper template.
2. Trace the shapes onto the boxboard or cardstock.
3. Cut out the boxboard shapes.
4. Using the paper template as a guide, punch a hole in each of the wings. The location is indicated by the black circles.
5. Cut along the solid line in the tail area of the fuselage.
6. Put the tail piece into the cut in the fuselage. It should be lined up with the centre line of the tail (the dashed line).
7. Tape the tail securely in place.

Note: Students will need to cut out a new fuselage for each test, but they can use the same wings for most tests. If wings become damaged, a new set can be cut from the boxboard.

To insert the wings into the fuselage, students will need to cut slits using a pair of scissors or a utility knife.

It is the shape of slits that will determine the cross-sectional shape of the wing.

Safety

Ensure all cutting is completed while sitting.

Place a pad under the cutting to prevent damage to the desk/tabletop.

If students are to use a utility knife, you may want to have them use it under your supervision.

Language

This would be a good opportunity to identify (or review) the parts of an aircraft such as the nose (front part of the fuselage), the fuselage (body of the aircraft), wings and tail.

Idea

You may wish to display the Wing-testing rig with model aircraft schematic [Google doc] [Word doc] [PDF] to support visual learners in assembling the aircraft. It could also be posted during the testing phase.

If students are having problems deciding what shapes to try, suggest they try flat, curved, v-shaped, or u-shaped wings. Students can add paperclips to the plane to help stabilize jumping motions of the plane.

If you feel that students need more guidance, show them the Wing Placement Ideas diagram [Google doc] [Word doc] [PDF] diagram. If you wish, you could provide students this page and have them circle the ones they tried.

Have conversations with each group about why they want to test the wing shapes they chose.

Idea

If time is short, setup two or more wing-testing stations to reduce congestion and wait times.

Next, have students answer the question about safety at the top of the third page of Aircraft Designers Notebook.

Safety

If using a fan as a wind source, ensure students do not put fingers or other items in the moving blades.

Avoid using long extension cords if using a hairdryer. Set up one or more “wing-testing rigs” stations with easily accessible hydro outlets.

Use hairdryers in dry conditions and away from sinks with water in them.

Following this, have students choose three different wing shapes to test. If time permits, allow for additional testing.

Before testing, have students:

• Complete the wing shape section using words and/or a picture
• Make a prediction about lift (using numbers and/or words)

  

Have groups take turns testing their wing shapes and making observations.

After testing each wing shape, have students:

• Make observations about how the aircraft behaved during the test
• Add data about the amount of lift (measurement in cm)

Discussions

• “How might you use the technology in our classroom to record your data?” (e.g., use tablets to take photos, or videos of the tests)

After completing their tests, each group should analyze their results and make conclusions using the fourth page of the Aircraft Designers Notebook.

Encourage groups to share their observations and conclusions. Use the sample discussion questions to promote discussion and probe for understanding.

Note: The slightly curved shape (middle right of Wing Placement Ideas diagram), will provide the greatest lift.

Discussions

• “What conclusions can be made about the effect of wing shape on flight?”
• “Did all groups reach the same conclusion? How might you explain any different conclusions?”
• “If you could change one other variable other than the wing shape, what would you change and why? What do you predict might be the impact on the flight of the aircraft if you made that change?”

Idea

Offer students the option to share their observations and conclusions by using multimedia platforms such as making a video, a presentation or a poster.

Debrief this activity by clarifying that the type of investigation they carried out is applied science.

Applied science uses scientific knowledge to solve the problems or needs that we have. It is what engineers do. In contrast, pure science seeks to expand our understanding of the world. 

Ask students to share other examples of how applied science is used when designing an aircraft (e.g., knowledge of the strength of materials when choosing what to make a fuselage out of, knowledge of the physics of motion when designing an aircraft’s shape, etc.).

Nature of Science

When doing pure science, the scientists are not trying to solve a problem; they are just trying to explain why something happens the way it does. For example, Bernoulli’s Principle is pure science. How we use Bernoulli’s Principle to get aircrafts to fly is applied science/engineering.