Whidbey Island Radio Control Society (WIRCS) Junior Modeler
Education Program for Years 2000-2001

The WIRCS youth education program for the school year 2000-2001 is complete and most objectives were met. We worked with five 7th and 8th grade students from the Oak Harbor Christian School. All of these students were selected by the school for this elective program and all were honor students. The school furnished us a classroom and access to tables and most important, a vacuum cleaner for cleanup. All five students were first introduced to the theory of flight, build and flew a hand launched glider and then a Delta Dart. After these two aircraft were build and flown by all students, they built a small rubber powered aircraft as a team effort. The third aircraft selected featured all printed parts and was an excellent teaching vehicle for construction techniques although a bit difficult to build. This aircraft was completed by the end of the first semester in January although it was not flown until much later when the weather was conducive to outside activity. Each student kept the first two aircraft and the third aircraft was presented to Larry Vander Leest, the principal, in appreciation for use of the school facility.

The final phase of the program was to be the construction and flying of an R/C trainer. We lost one of our students to another elective so the R/C phase went ahead with four students. We received a YES grant of $1000 in February 2001 which was used to procure the necessary equipment. In that this phase of the program had already commenced by the time the grant was available, the first expenditure of grant money was used to reimburse club member out of pocket expense for equipment already purchased in anticipation of the grant.

During the first semester of the program, all work was accomplished during one class period of about 50 minutes each week. This time included setup and cleanup. When work on the R/C trainer started, it became quickly apparent that this amount of time each week would not get the plan finished in time to fly it before the end of the school year. The class period we were allocated was the next to last in the school day and it was followed by a short last period. The school instructor that "owned" our classroom allowed us to merely move things aside for the last period and then we continued for another hour. This extra house also served as a measure of the dedication of the YES students as of course, it was not mandatory but more like homework. There was no school on one of our instruction days and we arranged to meet in a private facility and all four students showed up, which again gave us a good feeling about the dedication of the students.

The R/C trainer was completed on the 23rd of May, after one of the instructors spent about an hour finishing up the radio installation. The initial test flight was performed on the 26th of May and the plane flew well with only minor trim adjustments. Linkages were then adjusted to put the trims back to center and the plane was declared ready for student flight. All four students, by then having become AMA and club members, were brought to the club flying site on 30 May, and then on 6 and 13 June. Each student received about 25 minutes of dual instruction on each of the three days and were doing their own take-offs but no landings by the end of that time. Instructors did all set up for each session and the students cleaned up afterward. Starting duties were handled by instructors. Lots of oil on a plane after nearly two hours of flight. We used two instructors alternating and the plane was idle only long enough to refuel and restart between students. We used slightly over a gallon of fuel during the three sessions. 13 June was the last Wednesday of the school year so the students were invited to join club members at our regular Tuesday evening flight instruction period with the provision that they had to notify one of us so we could get the plane there and they had to arrange their own transportation. Only one of the students showed up regularly on Tuesday evenings or other times by mutual agreement and he soloed about three weeks later, by then assembling, starting and cleaning up the plane on his own.

We would have liked to solo all of the students so this objective was not met. We have been advertising that the plane is now available for flight instruction for any students who have not yet completed high school. No takers to this point, but when the club has a large all bird fly in on the Labor Day weekend, we will offer dual instruction to interested youngsters in the audience using the YES plane to the extent that we can conduct this activity without interfering with everyone else. This will be introductory flying, probably about 5 minutes per individual, depending on the number of students who accept our offer.

INSERT TABLE

LESSONS LEARNED:

Tools. A few items were inadvertently omitted from the initial equipment list. The most significant was a tool box into which all building equipment could be stored. One item that was often used but not bought (provided by instructors) was a cordless electric drill. It is recommended that a drill and bits be purchased for the building tool set for the future. When covering the R/C trainer, it was useful to have more than one iron so additional equipment was provided by the instructors.

Aircraft Selection.

The hand launched glider was to be built of foam and wood. This airplane was designed, kitted and provided by Dan Simenson, the primary instructor. It was ideal and will be used again in any future phase of this youth teaching program.

The second aircraft was the well known Delta Dart provided by Lynn Burge, who also provided liaison between the club and the school. This aircraft served its purpose well and will probably be used again although we will also consider a plane that might be better.

The next plane in the syllabus was a "stick" model called the Island Flyer, provided by Mike Mosbrooker, instructor. All parts were printed on sheets of balsa and had to be carefully cut out with a modeling knife which was an excellent teaching vehicle. The fuselage was built of 3/32nd square balsa and proved quite difficult in that the wood provided was quite soft, construction was quite detailed and plan reading was definitely required. The kit provided tissue for covering. We felt that dope and tissue would be an endeavor that might stretch our welcome in the school so we used colored cling wrap, adhered with glue sticks (the type intended for paper) and then carefully shrunk with heat. This aircraft had a 24" wingspan and was deemed too large to launch in the fairly constricted school yard. Thus, we had to transport plane and students to our regular flying site where it was frequently blowing too much for practical test flight. The concept of a single plane to be built teach fashion worked well but we suggest a plane that has a simpler fuselage and greater durability be designed for future endeavors of this type.

The final aircraft was the R/C trainer and the Sig Kadet LT-40 was chosen with and OS LA .40 for power, Monokote covering and Futaba four channel radio. This combination proved ideal in all respects both from a building and flying point of view. Students were allowed to select the colors with the constraint that the bottom had to be dark and the top light so they selected yellow and black. To get the plane covered with three rolls required that some time be spent by one of the instructors on his CAD system to layout the cutting patterns. This was not intuitive as the same instructor had just completed supervising his wife's initial building effort on the same plane and went over the allocated three rolls. About the only addition made to the plane were wing tip protective skids as we have an asphalt runway. After over five hours in the air, the aircraft is good as new. One problem is that the aircraft, not club property, is large and must be stored and retrieved by a member from his or her home as club storage facilities are small and tend to get quite warm - not a good aircraft storage environment. Another problem was that the wing had a slight warp after the students finished applying but before shrinking the covering. One of the instructors took the wing home and corrected the problem without difficulty as this would have been difficult to do in the classroom.

Simulator. The classroom used had an operational computer. With permission from the school, one of the instructors brought in his simulator for the students to practice on. We could have achieved more value from the simulator. It was used mostly as filler for students who were ahead of the team at a particular stage of construction. In the future, there should be specific objectives set for the simulator and its use more closely supervised. This will help with subsequent instruction.

Class Size and Composition. As it turned out, our class size of from four to five students is about ideal for this syllabus. Six is considered the practical maximum if the desired close supervision is to be maintained both to further the learning experience and for safety. These were great kids, but even as good students, they were still 7th and 8th graders with an attention span measured in milliseconds.

FINANCIALS.

The first three aircraft as well as the tools and expendables needed for construction were provided by the instruction team. The club offered $25.00 by way of reimbursement but the option was not exercised by any of the instructors. Enclosure 1 shows the YES program equipment list, associated with the Sig Kadet LT-40 R/C trainer, its ground support package and construction tools and expendables. This enclosure shows what was budgeted and what was spent. Many of the actual prices were less than budget thanks to the wonderful cooperation of Suzy Thornton, owner of Performance R/C, a full service hobby shop in nearby Burlington, Washington. Expenditures are presently $89.24 less than budget in that we have bought only half of the budgeted fuel and have had to spend nothing on repairs to date. This money is currently earmarked for fuel and repair/refurbishment for the R/C aircraft. We will also purchase a light duty cordless drill to add to the building equipment on hand, when we see a suitably priced new or used item.

PUBLICITY.

Enclosed are a few pictures with caption affixed to the back of each. We are currently preparing an article on Model Aviation to be published in local newspapers to generate interest for two upcoming AMA sanctioned club events. The activity reported here with its AMA sponsorship will receive prominent mention and will include pictures in the form presented to the respective editors.
 

 

Initial Report
August 2002

Whidbey Island Radio Control Society (WIRCS) Junior Modeler
Education Program Years 2001-2002

The WIRCS youth education program for the school year 2001-2002 is complete for the 2001-2002 school year and most objectives were met. We initially worked with nine 7th and 8th grade students from Oak Harbor Christian School. All of these students were selected by the school for this elective program by criteria that were not clear to us bust they were not all honor students as was the case the previous year. The school's administration had changed and although the new administrators welcomed us and were always helpful, they did not know the students and selected a few for this class who could better have spent their time studying basic subjects.

The school furnished us a classroom and access to tables. All nine students were first introduced to the theory of flight, built and flew a hand launched glider and then a small balsa rubber powered plane that evolved from the Canary which appeared in Model Aviation a couple of years ago. The students were then given materials to build another foam winged hand launch glider as a homework assignment. The class was then broken onto three teams. Each team was given a kit from which to build a more complex rubber powered aircraft with built up wings and fuselage. The flying surfaces were covered with food covering plastic (colored) which was adhered to the frame work with glue sticks and then lightly shrunk with a heat gun. This covering technique allows the completion of the aircraft without the use of any materials which would give off unacceptable fumes in the classroom. On completion and flight, the team built aircraft were given to each team with directions to work out ownership.

Both gliders and rubber powered aircraft were designed and kitted by our chief instructor, Dan Simenson. Dan has forgotten more about the design and building of both full size and model aircraft than most of us will ever know. We collected $3.00 per student to cover the cost of materials for the gliders and rubber powered aircraft.

In the second phase of this syllabus, our intent was to have the students build and learn to fly a Sig Kadet trainer, purchased with funds granted by the YES program. Late in 2001, we were informed that funds for this year might not be forthcoming. We asked and were given permission for the club to sell last years Sig Kadet and use the proceeds to purchase the necessary materials to build this years plane. The plane, radio and engine were sold to the family of one of the first group of students from the 2000-2001 school year and is still being flown by the student. This was particularly satisfying for us as the student suffers from Cystic Fibrosis and does not have a good prognosis for long life. The Whidbey Island Radio Control Society (WIRCS) agreed to fund any difference in the sales price and the cost of a new kit, engine and radio. Several members also offered to contribute various used components if necessary. The necessary materials were purchased by the sponsoring club so that teaching could continue without interruption after the last rubber powered planes were completed.

Nine students were judged too many to work one Kadet aircraft so we asked the school administrators to select six that would continue the program as by this time they know their students a lot better, and this was done. All students had a new job each week. One was the foreman, responsible for tracking all progress, another worked on the tail feathers, two worked on the wing and two were building the fuselage. Shortly after starting the Kadet, a second year YES grant was received. Rather than try to change the planned program at the last minute, we went ahead and purchased what was originally planned so that we now have a fairly complete tool kit for the students and no longer have to rely on instructors bringing their own tools and we also have the materials for another plane to be built next year without having to request additional grant monies. A complete inventory of what is now on hand is enclosed.

From what was learned during the first year of this program, we started the Kadet building phase of the program with an understanding with each student that they would work an extra hour after school each Wednesday, and that they would join both AMA and WIRCS. A simulator was brought in by an instructor and installed on one of the school's computers. All students understood that they had to qualify on the simulator before they would be eligible for flight training. Qualification included take off, landing on or near the runway and basic maneuvers in the air. One of the instructors was always present to supervise the use of the simulator as we had learned that without supervision, a lot of good fun was had but now a great deal of learning how to land and other critical subjects. Our goal was to finish the Kadet and simulator qualify all students at least four weeks before the end of school so that we could give as much flight training as possible and we met this goal.

Getting the students to the flying site each week is no small task. Transportation had to be arranged. Permission slips had to be prepared, signed and collected. Navy security criteria had to be met and these criteria were made much more stringent after 9/11 as the flying site used by the club is located on an outlying field in periodic use by Naval Aviation. As it turned out, getting them to the site was the least of our problems. Weather was our enemy in May and June. Our initial instruction session was attempted on a day that was really too windy and the airplane was badly damaged by one of the instructors (me-sob) trying to make a dead stick landing in a heavy cross wing. One of the parents who came to watch immediately offered to fund an additional aircraft in appreciation for what the instructors had been doing all year. We accepted his offer and bought an ARF Kadet, a few parts for the engine and were ready to fly with a test flown aircraft the next Wednesday. Unfortunately, at that point the weather turned really foul and we got very little training in the rest of the school year. All students have a standing invitation to our Tuesday night club training sessions but after schools ends, they tend to scatter.

We just completed our annual WIRCS All Bird fly in and as part of this event, we select youngsters from the audience to fly the YES aircraft with a buddy box. Pictures of a couple of those who accepted our offer are enclosed. Ages of the trainees ranged from seven to sixteen. We were able to get several students into the air for about fifteen minutes each, the safe range of our fuel tank.

As a side note, Dan Simenson collected the remnants of the LT-40 built by the students and built another plane by cutting away the damaged portions of the fuselage and wing and then reducing the size of the tail feathers proportionately. He put an older .40 engine it the plane and made an exhaust pipe from an old ski pole that runs the length of the plane and exists just past the tail. This plane flies very well but is no Kadet trainer any more. Picture enclosed.

INSERT TABLE

LESSONS LEARNED:

Tools. It is convenient and aids in the recruitment of instructors that we now have virtually all tools needed for the students to meet their objectives without resorting to the use if instructor provided personal equipment. We do not have a soldering iron as requirements are minimal but several of the instructors have spares they have offered to donate.

Aircraft Selection. The aircraft selected for this program were excellent. Only minor changes are planned for the next time the program is presented. They require progressively better and better building skills, produce an aircraft of which the student can be proud and all fly well.

Class Size and Composition. The initial class size of nine seemed a bit large but would probably be about right if the students were adequately screened. Instructors need to emphasize this aspect when setting up the class. Eighth graders are definitely more desirable although several of our seventh graders were adequately mature. We only had one female student and it would be nice to have more as she was really good! Six is considered the practical maximum for work on the Kadet. And the size of the classroom pretty well dictates that only one Kadet be worked on at a time.

Student Response. One problem noted in the two years this program has been running is the reluctance of several students to try to fly the plane for fear they will damage same. No amount of explanation about how the instructor would not let the student do anything to the plane seems to help, but in the long run, the concerned student was often the better one.

FINANCIALS.

The first four aircraft as well as the many of the tools and expendables needed for construction were provided by the instruction team with $3.00 paid by each student. Enclosure 1 shows the present YES program equipment list, all in possession of one or more of the club members as dedicated club storage is not considered adequate for aircraft or fuel. Enclosure 2 shows how funds have been spent since the inception of the program. Enclosure 3 shows the equipment that has been bought with this year's grant money. A few items have been donated but most have been bought at our local hobby shop as special pricing associated with this program. The shop is Performance R/C Hobbies in nearby Burlington, Washington. Funds on hand are expected to be used for fuel, repairs and materials for the next cycle of the program.

PUBLICITY.

Enclosed are a few pictures with caption affixed to the back of each.

INSERT INVENTORY TABLE

WIRCS YES PROGRAM ACCOUNTING

DATE ITEM COST CREDIT BALANCE
02/01/01 GRANT RECEIVED YEAR ONE $1,000.00 $1,000.00
03/01/01 EQUIPMENT BOUGHT IN 2000-2001 SCHOOL YEAR $910.76 $89.24
08/31/01 END OF 2000-2001 SCHOOL YEAR $89.24
11/20/01 SALE OF PLANE AND RADIO $250.00 $339.24
11/30/01 TOOL BOXES PURCHASED $10.99 $328.25
01/26/02 PURCHASED SUPPLIES; KADET, ENGINE, GLOW PLUG, COVERING & GLUE $199.00 $129.25
02/11/02 GRANT RECEIVED FOR YEAR TWO $750.00 $879.25
02/14/02 SANDER, DRILL & BITS BOUGHT $86.59 $792.66
03/12/02 SUPPLIES & COPIES $32.63 $760.03
04/04/02 SMALL PARTS $5.50 $754.53
05/30/02 DONATION-GORDON FAMILY $135.00 $889.53
06/06/02 PURCHASED SUPPLIES: 2 A/C, ENGINE, RADIO, EXPENDABLES $459.93 $429.60
06/05/02 ENGINE PARTS FOR REPAIR $48.85 $380.75
06/21/02 FUTABA BUDDY BOX & GREAT PLANES HINGE SLOTTER $106.71 $274.04

ONE ADDITIONAL GUN CASE FOR TRANSMITTER STORAGE ON ORDER AND EXPECTED TO COST ABOUT $15.00

INSERT PART LIST TABLE

Our classroom with the class working on their first rubber powered creations.


Dan Simenson, (Chief Instructor), with the Sig Kadet LT-40 ARF and the reincarnation of the LT-40 built by the students.


Chris Barker teaching Chris Saindon how to fly.


Mike Mosbrooker showing Evan Matteson how it is done.


Chris Barker getting Caleb Koorn qualified on the simulator.


L-R, Mike Mosbrooker (Program Director), Sarah Gordon, Chris Barker (Instructor), Caleb Koorn, Gerrit Nagel, Dan Simenson (Chief Instructor), Matt Poggie and Kellen Otte ready for instruction on the plane they built.


Gerrit Nagle, Matt Proctor and Kellen Otte ready to fly their rubber powered plane one more time.


Sarah Gordon and Caleb Koorn actually reading the instructions!


Dan Simenson, Carolyn Geertsma (school faculty), and three students try their hand launched gliders in an all up-last down. "In one piece" quickly eliminated one of the planes.