On Monday 13th March, a group of Year 10 students from St Hild’s Church of England school arrived at Hartlepool College of Further Education for their Flight Explorers experience! The masterclass was designed to give students an introduction to the world of aeronautical and aerospace engineering, and the students were looking forward to getting started!
The first task of the day was to make sure everyone was wearing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE), so everyone received a hi-vis vest to wear throughout the masterclass. Once everyone was ready, students went through into the aeronautical engineering workshop at the college and were greeted by Lewis and Jeff who were lecturers at the college.
After a short introduction, students were free to explore the aircraft and engines in the space with Lewis and Jeff explaining the design and functionality of each. Throughout this time, students were also able to ask questions about education and career progression, as it is a discipline of engineering that many of the students hadn’t considered before! After hearing about some of the different routes and pathways, students were reminded ‘If you work hard, you could be the person who makes the next breakthrough in aviation. There’s no reason that couldn’t be you!’ which was an inspiring way to end the first section of the morning.
After a quick snack at the college canteen, it was time to get creative! Students were tasked with designing and making their own glider with the aim of making the glider that travelled the furthest when released from the 2nd floor of the college! Everyone had access to the same materials – one piece of balsa wood, superglue, paperclips, masking tape, and measuring/cutting equipment.
Some students started by drawing a design of their glider, while others jumped straight into cutting out the required pieces. Much thought was given to the size and shape of the model, and most importantly to the shape and positioning of the wings as the morning session had highlighted the importance of this.
As take-off drew closer some students decided to put their gliders to the test and make last minute changes to their design while others were trying their best not to end up covered in glue… with limited success! But at the end of the challenge every student had a completed glider ready to fly.
Students were escorted to the second floor and saw some of the study spaces available at the college on their way. Once on the walkway, students launched their aircraft to see who had the winning design. Everyone’s glider flew! Some went forwards, some did somersaults, and some fell gently towards the ground, but it was clear that everyone had given their design careful thought based on their learning on the day.
There are lots of options to study courses relating to aerospace engineering and aviation in the North East! Look through the university and college websites here.
This event was part of a suite of regional masterclasses delivered by FutureMe. You can read more about some of the other experiences here.
