This May marks the 80th anniversary of the "Hindenburg" disaster. On May 6, 1937, the German passenger zeppelin "Hindenburg," hovering 300 feet in the air and held aloft by seven million cubic feet of hydrogen gas, burst into flames while preparing to dock at the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, NJ (Fig. 1). Amazingly, the…

The invention of aviation has made it possible for people to travel faster and farther than ever before, and has led to a global increase in connection of commerce, people, and ideas. However, economic growth and social changes have also led to challenges for the aviation industry. NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) works…

The present study reports two experiments in which a total of 20 participants without prior flight experience practiced the final approach phase in a fixed-base simulator. All participants received self-controlled concurrent feedback during 180 practice trials. Experiment 1 shows that participants learn more quickly under variable practice…

Gliders and sailplanes provide a great launching platform for teaching about technology and scientific principles. Soaring is technological innovation in action, using earth's natural resources for energy and endurance during flight. This article focuses on the basics of soaring, which educators can use to increase excitement and interest in the…

"The 2006 Winter Meeting of the AAPT Was Over..."and the flight home from Anchorage to Cleveland was just about to end--eight hours in the air, only two complimentary beverages, no meals, a jump across four time zones, a one-year-old baby daughter, and a wife whose motto for the week was, "Why did they choose to have a winter meeting in Alaska?"…

Current aeronautical research is highlighted, focusing on tilt rotor aircraft, quiet short-haul jets, HiMAT (Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology), pivoting wing aircraft, energy absorption tests, and lightning research. (JN)

Introduces optical experiments and observations for an airplane passenger including scratches on a window, scattering of light, and reflection images. Provides several diagrams. (YP)

This science curriculum was written for teachers of children in the elementary grades. It contains science activities for the following lessons: (1) Whirly Birds and the Concept of Lift; (2) Parachutes; (3) Weather Vanes; (4) Paper Airplanes; (5) Flying an Airplane; (6) Jet Engine; (7) Identifying Flying Objects; (8) It's a Bird! It's a Plane; (9)…

This six-lesson unit is designed to familiarize sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students with air traffic safety and the individuals who make air traffic safety possible. Each lesson consists of a statement of the concept fostered, a list of objectives, a brief discussion on the focus of the unit, and instructional strategies for lesson topics…

This teaching unit is designed to help students in grades 4-8 explore the concepts of scaling and proportion in the context of spacecraft design. The units in this series have been developed to enhance and enrich mathematics, science, and technology education and to accommodate different teaching and learning styles. Each unit consists of a…

This report includes three experiment sections. The first experiment tested sensitivity to loss in altitude and demonstrated that: (1) preview effects led to adaptation; (2) sensitivity decreased with higher flow rates; and (3) sensitivity increased with higher optical texture densities and fractional loss. The second and third experiments…

A program description and evaluation for a high school course in aviology is presented. The curriculum, originally taught at the Laboratory School at the University of Florida, was designed to: (1) use aviation as a motivator for science; (2) present an overview of aviation; (3) help students see their role in the future of aviation; (4) provide…

This resource guide details the services and materials available from the National Coalition for Aviation Education (NCAE) member organizations. An alphabetical listing of 15 NCAE member organizations provides in each case the name of a contact person, address, telephone and fax numbers, and a very brief description of whom or what the…

Reviews research related to women in aviation careers and describes a 40-hour career orientation and recruiting program designed to introduce 11th- and 12th-grade females to the career potential of pilot or controller. Reports results of tests administered to the 25 accepted participants. (DC)

Discusses the recent trends in job opportunities for aerospace engineers. Mentions some of the political, technological, and economic factors affecting the overall employment picture. Includes a description of the job prospects created by the general upswing of the large commercial aircraft market. (TW)