Talkin' to kids about RC
#1

There's an elementary school about 1/2 mile from my house, and I fly there quite often. A few months back, I struck up a conversation with the principal in the parking lot and, long story short, I was invited to talk to the kids about building and flying RC planes. It was as part of an end-of-school STEM day.
As I said, I fly here all the time – it’s the closest park to my house – so I was happy to share. At the end of the talk, I took a quick flight with my Papa Divine flying wing. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. (That's me at far right, in the bright yellow shirt.)

As I said, I fly here all the time – it’s the closest park to my house – so I was happy to share. At the end of the talk, I took a quick flight with my Papa Divine flying wing. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. (That's me at far right, in the bright yellow shirt.)


#2
Super Contributor
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Ex UK Brit now in Latvia west coast - Ventspils
Posts: 12,594

Back in UK when I was in SMAE .... Schools were targeted to do talks and even fly on their Sports days ... or we would ask to do a day for the kids.
It was all because like today - there were few youngsters coming into the hobby. Did it make any difference ? Not a lot - but personally I loved it and I know the kids did as well. Even if they didn't pick up a kit to build / fly.
I bet you enjoyed every minute of it ... well done ...
Nigel
It was all because like today - there were few youngsters coming into the hobby. Did it make any difference ? Not a lot - but personally I loved it and I know the kids did as well. Even if they didn't pick up a kit to build / fly.
I bet you enjoyed every minute of it ... well done ...
Nigel
#3

I don't understand why more schools don't incorporate the design and build of an RC plane as part of a STEM curriculum project. It's a great opportunity to introduce CAD design, aerodynamics, some electronics, and building skills.
The students chosen to be "test pilots" could spend time on a flight sim, and when the project was completed, actually fly the plane (with help from an instructor / buddy box.)
Costs for a plane built with foamboard, and powered by a small motor, battery, and ESC combo wouldn't be much (I bet a local club would have a member with that stuff laying around that would be happy to donate it.)
The students chosen to be "test pilots" could spend time on a flight sim, and when the project was completed, actually fly the plane (with help from an instructor / buddy box.)
Costs for a plane built with foamboard, and powered by a small motor, battery, and ESC combo wouldn't be much (I bet a local club would have a member with that stuff laying around that would be happy to donate it.)
#4
Super Contributor
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Ex UK Brit now in Latvia west coast - Ventspils
Posts: 12,594

I don't understand why more schools don't incorporate the design and build of an RC plane as part of a STEM curriculum project. It's a great opportunity to introduce CAD design, aerodynamics, some electronics, and building skills.
The students chosen to be "test pilots" could spend time on a flight sim, and when the project was completed, actually fly the plane (with help from an instructor / buddy box.)
Costs for a plane built with foamboard, and powered by a small motor, battery, and ESC combo wouldn't be much (I bet a local club would have a member with that stuff laying around that would be happy to donate it.)
The students chosen to be "test pilots" could spend time on a flight sim, and when the project was completed, actually fly the plane (with help from an instructor / buddy box.)
Costs for a plane built with foamboard, and powered by a small motor, battery, and ESC combo wouldn't be much (I bet a local club would have a member with that stuff laying around that would be happy to donate it.)
They generally end up doing chuckies ....
We were invited to fly for them at a show they wanted to organise last year - but no funding came ... so it was all cancelled.
Nigel
#5
Super Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,231
#6
Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 157
#7

Yes.....They didn't even bother to examine just "how far behind" they left those kids.........our public colleges and universities are full of them....and still getting left behind......with a bill that will take them 20yrs to pay.......unless, of course, there in CA, OR, TX, AZ, WA or FL systems where we will end up paying for it...........and they are "one & done" athletes....!
#8
Super Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,231

Certainly part of it, but more to it than that. Today's 4 year Bachelor college grad is equivalent to a high school education 40 years ago. What is really scary is illiterate rate of college grads today is higher than high-school grad 40 years ago. That is what happens when you allow the federal goberment and unions to run schools. The only way to get a good education today in the USA is private schools that do not take federal dollars and the strings that come with it. Money is not the issue, it is the government. It would take more than a generation to fix it, and nothing is going to be done about it. Today kids lack critical thinking skills, cannot handle peer pressure, failures, and criticism. Makes the public real easy to control and believe anything.
#9
Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 157

I just don't get how we can produce less than average students who expect to be leaders first week out of school.
#10

It may have something to do with colleges and universities that don't actually give grades out of fear of "triggering" students, and hand out degrees as if they were participation trophies.
#11
Super Contributor
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Ex UK Brit now in Latvia west coast - Ventspils
Posts: 12,594

If you think its USA ... think again. Its a disease affecting most 'developed countries' where the do-gooders have destroyed any competition in schools. No longer are Teachers allowed to identify those that will, those that can and those who never will.
I'm 62yrs old and I regard myself as lucky that I received education in UK, it was still the 3 R's ... Reading wRiting aRithmetic ... it was still graded and your next years class was decided on it ... we still had Grammar School levels ...
I read that UK is looking into bringing back Grammar Schools - and guess what - the PC / Do-Gooder brigades are up in arms about it ...
Close school friend of mine was always regarded as less able to maintain the class level ... we were in top Grammar Level at school ... he had to really work hard at it. Everyone reckoned he would not make much after school. Well - he made his first million by time he was 25 ... had already moved into his million pound home next to the Golf Course. Few years back when his wife came back from holiday with her friends ... a brand new Porsche was waiting outside the house tied with a ribbon !
Given todays education syllabus and teaching - I wonder what he would have become ?
Nigel
I'm 62yrs old and I regard myself as lucky that I received education in UK, it was still the 3 R's ... Reading wRiting aRithmetic ... it was still graded and your next years class was decided on it ... we still had Grammar School levels ...
I read that UK is looking into bringing back Grammar Schools - and guess what - the PC / Do-Gooder brigades are up in arms about it ...
Close school friend of mine was always regarded as less able to maintain the class level ... we were in top Grammar Level at school ... he had to really work hard at it. Everyone reckoned he would not make much after school. Well - he made his first million by time he was 25 ... had already moved into his million pound home next to the Golf Course. Few years back when his wife came back from holiday with her friends ... a brand new Porsche was waiting outside the house tied with a ribbon !
Given todays education syllabus and teaching - I wonder what he would have become ?
Nigel
#12

I do sometimes wonder if the problem is education or just 'society'.
Where I fly has a rather remote gravel public car park accessed down a rough gravel track.
The area is far from deprived with a highly rated grammar school.
After a flying session I noted a shiny object lying in the grass at the side of the car park. My curiosity got the better of me.

A CO2 bottle?
A bit of poking about and I found quite a number more some of which where part buried in the car park gravel.

Why so many?
A bit of research showed they are likely not for CO2 but N2O (laughing gas) which is apparently used by the younger generation to get a 'high' although it is illegal in the UK to use it.
The bottles are used in 'home' whipped cream makers!
Can we really blame the education system for things like this?
Where I fly has a rather remote gravel public car park accessed down a rough gravel track.
The area is far from deprived with a highly rated grammar school.
After a flying session I noted a shiny object lying in the grass at the side of the car park. My curiosity got the better of me.
A CO2 bottle?
A bit of poking about and I found quite a number more some of which where part buried in the car park gravel.
Why so many?
A bit of research showed they are likely not for CO2 but N2O (laughing gas) which is apparently used by the younger generation to get a 'high' although it is illegal in the UK to use it.
The bottles are used in 'home' whipped cream makers!
Can we really blame the education system for things like this?
#13

I do sometimes wonder if the problem is education or just 'society'.
Where I fly has a rather remote gravel public car park accessed down a rough gravel track.
The area is far from deprived with a highly rated grammar school.
After a flying session I noted a shiny object lying in the grass at the side of the car park. My curiosity got the better of me.
Attachment 186684
A CO2 bottle?
A bit of poking about and I found quite a number more some of which where part buried in the car park gravel.
Attachment 186685
Why so many?
A bit of research showed they are likely not for CO2 but N2O (laughing gas) which is apparently used by the younger generation to get a 'high' although it is illegal in the UK to use it.
The bottles are used in 'home' whipped cream makers!
Can we really blame the education system for things like this?
Where I fly has a rather remote gravel public car park accessed down a rough gravel track.
The area is far from deprived with a highly rated grammar school.
After a flying session I noted a shiny object lying in the grass at the side of the car park. My curiosity got the better of me.
Attachment 186684
A CO2 bottle?
A bit of poking about and I found quite a number more some of which where part buried in the car park gravel.
Attachment 186685
Why so many?
A bit of research showed they are likely not for CO2 but N2O (laughing gas) which is apparently used by the younger generation to get a 'high' although it is illegal in the UK to use it.
The bottles are used in 'home' whipped cream makers!
Can we really blame the education system for things like this?
Sorry Mark for getting off topic here......your investment to the education of our youth is to be commended.....!
#15

I remember a Kurt Vonnegut Jr. short story about a society which handicapped the majority of its members so that all people would be equal. For example someone who was slim would be required to wear weights to make them equal with heavier people. I don't recall the name, but I think they made a movie based on the story also. I remember the end of the story was quite disturbing (typical Vonnegut).
I work with a lot of engineers in a high tech company, and the majority of them seem illiterate and sloppy to me. Of course, I'm 67 years old; one of those high school and trade school grads from 40 years ago (oh, all right, 49 years ago). Principles of efficient design, practical applications, and even proper wire dress are lost on them. Don't get me started about what CAD programs like Autocad have done to drafting and drawing standards. They make their mistakes and often claim that the CAD program is at fault, because it did most of the work for them anyway.
Interestingly, three of our best engineers are from the UK, China, and India.
I went to a Catholic school in the late 50's - early 60's, and it was a different world. Sure, we got slapped around some, but in the long run it helped us learn good work ethics and a desire to get things right the first time. My handwriting is pretty good, though my knuckles are scarred and deformed from getting them rapped with a ruler when it was sub par. I recall an incident from when I was in the 4th grade. The sister superior burst into our classroom dragging a 5th grade student by the collar. She flung him into a vacant desk so violently that he fell off the other side of the chair, scattering a bunch of plastic toys as he hit the floor. The kid was pushed back to 4th grade, and he stayed held back one grade for as long as I knew him. He turned out OK as an adult.
The nuns encouraged creativity and personal development, though learning the hard way was the S.O.P. as I recall. Hey, we were animal children, and a little discipline was overall a good thing.
I refrain from talking about the good old days (mostly) because it tends to alienate the younger engineers and techs who think my values are outmoded, and they probably don't believe me anyway.
Tom
I work with a lot of engineers in a high tech company, and the majority of them seem illiterate and sloppy to me. Of course, I'm 67 years old; one of those high school and trade school grads from 40 years ago (oh, all right, 49 years ago). Principles of efficient design, practical applications, and even proper wire dress are lost on them. Don't get me started about what CAD programs like Autocad have done to drafting and drawing standards. They make their mistakes and often claim that the CAD program is at fault, because it did most of the work for them anyway.
Interestingly, three of our best engineers are from the UK, China, and India.
I went to a Catholic school in the late 50's - early 60's, and it was a different world. Sure, we got slapped around some, but in the long run it helped us learn good work ethics and a desire to get things right the first time. My handwriting is pretty good, though my knuckles are scarred and deformed from getting them rapped with a ruler when it was sub par. I recall an incident from when I was in the 4th grade. The sister superior burst into our classroom dragging a 5th grade student by the collar. She flung him into a vacant desk so violently that he fell off the other side of the chair, scattering a bunch of plastic toys as he hit the floor. The kid was pushed back to 4th grade, and he stayed held back one grade for as long as I knew him. He turned out OK as an adult.
The nuns encouraged creativity and personal development, though learning the hard way was the S.O.P. as I recall. Hey, we were animal children, and a little discipline was overall a good thing.
I refrain from talking about the good old days (mostly) because it tends to alienate the younger engineers and techs who think my values are outmoded, and they probably don't believe me anyway.
Tom
Last edited by tr4252; 07-25-2018 at 10:59 PM.
#17

Thanks for asking. I was referring to the "HS grad of 40 years ago is equivalent to today's college degree" idea put forth above. I'm sorry if I drifted off topic too much. I fully support the principle that teaching RC is beneficial
Tom
Tom
#18

I remember a Kurt Vonnegut Jr. short story about a society which handicapped the majority of its members so that all people would be equal. For example someone who was slim would be required to wear weights to make them equal with heavier people. I don't recall the name, but I think they made a movie based on the story also. I remember the end of the story was quite disturbing (typical Vonnegut).
I work with a lot of engineers in a high tech company, and the majority of them seem illiterate and sloppy to me. Of course, I'm 67 years old; one of those high school and trade school grads from 40 years ago (oh, all right, 49 years ago). Principles of efficient design, practical applications, and even proper wire dress are lost on them. Don't get me started about what CAD programs like Autocad have done to drafting and drawing standards. They make their mistakes and often claim that the CAD program is at fault, because it did most of the work for them anyway.
Interestingly, three of our best engineers are from the UK, China, and India.
I went to a Catholic school in the late 50's - early 60's, and it was a different world. Sure, we got slapped around some, but in the long run it helped us learn good work ethics and a desire to get things right the first time. My handwriting is pretty good, though my knuckles are scarred and deformed from getting them rapped with a ruler when it was sub par. I recall an incident from when I was in the 4th grade. The sister superior burst into our classroom dragging a 5th grade student by the collar. She flung him into a vacant desk so violently that he fell off the other side of the chair, scattering a bunch of plastic toys as he hit the floor. The kid was pushed back to 4th grade, and he stayed held back one grade for as long as I knew him. He turned out OK as an adult.
The nuns encouraged creativity and personal development, though learning the hard way was the S.O.P. as I recall. Hey, we were animal children, and a little discipline was overall a good thing.
I refrain from talking about the good old days (mostly) because it tends to alienate the younger engineers and techs who think my values are outmoded, and they probably don't believe me anyway.
Tom
I work with a lot of engineers in a high tech company, and the majority of them seem illiterate and sloppy to me. Of course, I'm 67 years old; one of those high school and trade school grads from 40 years ago (oh, all right, 49 years ago). Principles of efficient design, practical applications, and even proper wire dress are lost on them. Don't get me started about what CAD programs like Autocad have done to drafting and drawing standards. They make their mistakes and often claim that the CAD program is at fault, because it did most of the work for them anyway.
Interestingly, three of our best engineers are from the UK, China, and India.
I went to a Catholic school in the late 50's - early 60's, and it was a different world. Sure, we got slapped around some, but in the long run it helped us learn good work ethics and a desire to get things right the first time. My handwriting is pretty good, though my knuckles are scarred and deformed from getting them rapped with a ruler when it was sub par. I recall an incident from when I was in the 4th grade. The sister superior burst into our classroom dragging a 5th grade student by the collar. She flung him into a vacant desk so violently that he fell off the other side of the chair, scattering a bunch of plastic toys as he hit the floor. The kid was pushed back to 4th grade, and he stayed held back one grade for as long as I knew him. He turned out OK as an adult.
The nuns encouraged creativity and personal development, though learning the hard way was the S.O.P. as I recall. Hey, we were animal children, and a little discipline was overall a good thing.
I refrain from talking about the good old days (mostly) because it tends to alienate the younger engineers and techs who think my values are outmoded, and they probably don't believe me anyway.
Tom
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
modomigliore
Ebay for sale
0
09-29-2014 06:35 PM
ggunners
Flight Simulators
0
12-02-2011 08:50 PM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)