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Sci-Fly STEM Outreach

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25.01.2022 Flashback to a couple of weeks ago, and a late afternoon flight in the Decathlon.

25.01.2022 What makes the perfect paper aeroplane? In episode one of "Amy's Aviation", supported by the Royal Aeronautical Society, you can learn some great tips. Don't expect "your experiments will turn up the perfect plane first time, but real aircraft engineers test and refine their designs all the time, so take a tip from them and keep at it!" https://www.youtube.com/watch

25.01.2022 Another indoor activity for a rainy, lockdown day... Why not create your own online jigsaw puzzle? Here is our first offering, a 60 piece view of the MGC from a Melbourne City Orbit. Simply click on the link below to have a go. https://jigex.com/b2AL

25.01.2022 Did you know that today, May 26, is National Paper Aeroplane Day? What better excuse do you need to have a go at making your own? The design shared below is just one example from Women in Aviation/Aerospace Australia, but don't stop there... can you engineer a record breaker? Fun facts from the National Day Calendar: The use of paper airplanes is believed to have originated 2,000 years ago in China. The earliest known date of the creation of modern paper planes was said to ha...ve been in 1909. The largest paper aircraft had a wingspan of 59.74 ft. Students and employees made it in Germany on 28th September 2013. The distance record (226 feet, 10 inches) was set by Joe Ayoob, with a plane in February 2012. The record time for the longest-lasting paper airplane flight is 29.2 seconds. Read more... https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-paper-airplane-da/

25.01.2022 Listen as Sydney ATC bids a final farewell to VH-OEJ, Qantas' last Boeing 747, as she received one last salute from onlookers at Sydney Harbour earlier this week. Last Qantas 747, who shared this YouTube clip were there to photograph the moment, as the sun set on almost 50-years of Qantas service for the Queen of The Skies.

23.01.2022 Mornington and Martha Point this afternoon... Delayed start as the fog didn't lift until almost midday in the Yarra Valley!

22.01.2022 With Melbourne back in lockdown, and so many commercial jets currently grounded, it's so important to find some positives in the World right now. This opportunity yesterday however, flying Lilydale Flying School aircraft Piper Archer RCR into Melbourne Tullamarine was definitely one of them. Photographs were sent to the flying school by a wonderful human by the name of David Shearer. Taken as we taxied south, back to run-up bay Kilo before our departure to Ballarat.

22.01.2022 A Melbourne city orbit, then down the coastal route to Carrum this afternoon. It was nice and cool at 3500 ft.

22.01.2022 With our Y10 Aerodynamics assessment ready to go, we are now spending some time preparing the Y9 Drones unit. Before any of our students are allowed to fly their drones however, we will be making sure they are fully aware of all the rules and regulations. Using both the Ok2Fly website, and completing the CASA online "Know Your Drone" quiz before they take to the skies.

22.01.2022 Another Melbourne city orbit a few days ago, and some great shots taken by our passenger. Including a stunning view, looking down into the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

22.01.2022 For anyone wishing to check on the current rules around private/recreational flying, or taking lessons within Melbourne's current lockdown zone, the advice from DHHS can be found here: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/travel-metropolitan-melbourne-a

20.01.2022 Investigating lift with Year 10 students...

20.01.2022 Fansinating and inspiring listening to Kathy Mexted Writing & Photography talk about her new book, Australian Women Pilots, over Zoom this evening. From Kathy's website: https://www.kathymexted.com.au/ Australian Women Pilots, tells the stories of ten Australian women pilots across the ages from 1935 to present. Each story follows a natural story arc. A stasis, crisis or challenge, and resolution.... We will definitely be organising a copy for the senior school library.

20.01.2022 Zooming this evening with Women in Aviation/Aerospace Australia, and Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia Pilot, Vicki Harrison. After our RFDS Zoom a few weeks ago, with ~30 high school girls from Y7-12 and an RFDS panel of three; a Flight Nurse, Flight Nurse Manager and Fundraiser Manager, this evening's event was a fascinating opportunity to hear about what happens at the front of the aircraft. We've heard of car headlights and flares been used as emergency runway lighting before, but toilet rolls soaked in diesel would be a very interesting experience.

20.01.2022 Travelling with budding young aviators over the summer break, and lucky enough to be flying? Why not download and print this activity booklet from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to keep them busy on the journey. Science in Your Aeroplane Seat: https://howthingsfly.si.edu//attachment/ScienceinyourAirpl

19.01.2022 Planning for 2021... Just one of three exciting new Y10 STEM units currently in development. This is our favourite, although the team here may be a little bias.

19.01.2022 Beyond the flying itself, Meteorology is without any hesitation our favourite Aviation subject. As one of the six units that comprise the new Aviation and Space Science elective course for Y10 next year, the ongoing search for resources turned up this today: "Meteorology: An Educator’s Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning: Published by NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration. https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/288978main_Meteorology_Guide.pdf... The simple Barometer activity on page 27 certainly looks like something we can use at school, as it links perfectly to helping students understand how pressure instruments work. This has the altimeter covered - now to explore ways to extend this to include a pitot tube!

19.01.2022 Scale Mustang VH-KEB over the Yarra Valley, on a slightly better weather day than today. Photo credit: Steve Hitchen Pilot: Don Gordon at https://www.tigermothyv.com.au/

19.01.2022 QHN 1031, and cold still air, made for a perfect late afternoon flight in the Decathlon today.

18.01.2022 One of the Worlds most recognisable aircraft, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress... making a low pass on Friday evening at Avalon Airshow, Avalon Airport last year. According to an article published in June 2020, "if the Air Force sticks with current plans, the B-52 will operate through 2050, making it the first jet, and maybe the only jet, to stay in continuous operation for a hundred years." https://www.forbes.com//five-reasons-the-air-forces-b-52/

18.01.2022 This weekend next year! Australian International Airshow.

17.01.2022 Exploring the Wind Tunnel Free app, as a teaching tool for Y10. This will be included in the lesson on lift, and helping to understand the lift drag ratio.

17.01.2022 There may be rain and fog outside, but there is always something interesting in hangar 6 with Tiger Moth Joy Flights Yarra Valley.

17.01.2022 Need a school holiday activity for a rainy day? This build your own weather station activity from National Geographic is worth a look. https://media.nationalgeographic.org//BuildyourownWeatherS Planning for Y10 Aviation and Space Science, Unit 2: Meteorology.

16.01.2022 This flight activities booklet may be 30 years old, but it still has some great investigations that can be completed at home. Making a paper/straw glider is a fun little engineering task in itself for all ages. But add some data collection and graph plotting also, and this becomes a perfect Grade 4-6 science investigation.

16.01.2022 A huge shout out and thank you to Central Coast Aero Club for the maps donation! Unboxed and in the school Aviation cupboard ready for next year, these will truly transform trigonometry and bearings, and the rest of our flight planning unit for the Y10s next year. Our utmost gratitude also, to the many other individuals who donated their old maps over the last few weeks. The old flight plan routes pencilled on are sure to generate some inspiring discussions.

16.01.2022 Building, testing, tweaking... Y10 Aerodynamics in preparation!

16.01.2022 Flashback to four years ago, and a day trip to Hotham Alpine Resort... via Chieftain of course. At an elevation of 4260 ft, Mount Hotham is Australia's highest airport. https://www.mthotham.com.au/discover/explore/hotham-airport

15.01.2022 Pilot Mike Smith, owner the Sun Theatre in Yarraville, paid tribute to the Anzac spirit in the air this morning. His flight around Melbourne and regional Victoria tracing the outline of the Rising Sun, captured on Flightradar24. The distinctive shape, worn on the upturned brim of a slouch hat, is readily identified with the spirit of Anzac. A symbol of honour for all Australian service men and women who gave their lives. Lest we forget.

15.01.2022 It is highly recommended to avoid power lines on landing... both with models and in real life! A successful first in school test, with our awesome kits from Immersive Education.

15.01.2022 Postponed... But not cancelled! Avalon Airshow 2021.

14.01.2022 Fundraising for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5Hl-IAoTD/?igshid=jff0tlb2x9le

14.01.2022 Lake Eildon and the Cathedral Ranges. Wind calm, QNH 1029 hPa, OAT at A075 3, such a fantastic day to be in the air!

14.01.2022 Masked engineers... back at school and it's all hands on deck for these Y8s, as they make a start on their Immersive Education balsa wood aeroplanes. Appropriate timing, as tomorrow also marks the reopening of Melbourne's flying schools after a long three months on terrafirma.

13.01.2022 Albert Park Lake, cleared one right city orbit this morning in Archer VH-DDM.

13.01.2022 Following on from our student focused Q&A with the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia yesterday, a few attendees were asking some more specific questions regarding the RFDS fleet. "Every RFDS plane has to undergo an extensive fit-out after purchase, so they have the necessary medical equipment to deal with any emergency. This video [see link below] gives insight into the work and cost involved in preparing each plane so that it can become part of the Flying Doctor fleet." https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/about-the-rfds/our-fleet/

13.01.2022 Another plast from the past, because clearly we are missing blue skies and Avgas right now. On final to runway 31R at YMMB, in Archer ZZW. We miss that plane too... hope its new owner loves it as much as we did when Lilydale was its home.

12.01.2022 After attending this PD in person last year, definitely happy to give the guys at Immersive Education a shout out. A fun and informative day, some great networking opportunities, and their balsa wood aeroplane kits have become an integral part of our planning for the Y10 Aviation and Space Science elective next year. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3398687490220189&id=2161145520641065

12.01.2022 For any of our followers who are Sydney based, this is an amazing opportunity! Matt Hall Racing, Sydney Harbour night flights.

12.01.2022 A fantastic RFDS pilot's eye view, landing on the new runway at Brisbane Airport. Here are a few facts and figures about the 3300 m long strip, opened on Sunday: 11 million cubic metres of sand dredged up.... 250,000 cubic metres of concrete poured. 1.2 million tonnes of rock and gravel used. 400 kilometres of ducting for underground cables installed. 2,200 LED lights installed in the tarmac. See more

12.01.2022 Melbourne CBD from 3000 ft, inbound to Melbourne Tullamarine in Piper Archer VH-RCR... landing runway 34 YMML.

11.01.2022 We are sure that most of our followers have heard the LA Speed Story many times. But since the Y10's will be learning at little about high-speed flight, it seemed highly appropriate to include this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILop3Kn3JO8

10.01.2022 Quite a bumpy flight yesterday up to Lake Eildon. Stunning views none the less.

10.01.2022 Combining the Micro:bit magnetometer and VFR cruising altitudes, as a practical introduction to using sensors and the if/else statement blocks.

09.01.2022 Paul Bennet Airshows live stream Airshow!

09.01.2022 As educators, it is always a proud moment to see our students doing well for themselves. For example these colouring in booklets designed by Saran Kim, handed out to some youngsters today at Lilydale Flying School! Also a shot of the Yarra Valley from 3000ft, we have missed these views!

09.01.2022 Since we are reminiscing... this as about as far back as it goes for the Sci-Fly team. TIF at Lilydale Flying School in Airtourer ECI, Jan 2015. Today between lockdown and quite unpleasant Melbourne weather, it's IRF study instead.

08.01.2022 Cold, wet, and muddy, accurately summarises Today... but the break in the clouds at about 4pm was just enough to capture these shots of the YLIL circuit area, illuminated by the late afternoon Sun.

08.01.2022 Year 10 Aviation and Space Science... resource development is under way for 2021!

08.01.2022 5 drains later... there was finally some fuel. This really emphasises the importance of a fuel drain before any flight, especially after a wet few days.

07.01.2022 Lesson planning can lead to some quirky resource discoveries... and these "Amy's Aviation" videos, supported by the Royal Aeronautical Society are certainly worth a look. Covering a wide range of Aviation topics, perfectly targets at kids. Episode 5 Propellers: https://youtu.be/5MCbddHnbRU Episode 8 Jets: https://youtu.be/l7-rBk7CBWk

07.01.2022 We were sent a request to come up with a challenging Equations and Algebra question suitable for Year 8... multi-step, and drawing on skills from several areas of Maths. The attached flight planning exercise is what we came up with. Thanks also to Tutoring with Meroe, who suggested a few simple edits to add Trigonometry and Bearings to make this a Y9/10 problem. For any educators or parents who would like to do so, we have pasted the raw text below for convenient editing.... >>> Using Equations and Algebra to Plan a Flight Aircraft Details* *These are the real values for the aircraft. Aircraft is a Piper Archer Speed in still air = 205 km/hr Fuel tanks hold 180 Lt Fuel burn rate = 36 Lt/hr Formula Circumference of a circle = 2r Pythagoras theorem: a^2 + b^2 = c^2 Headwind slows speed over the ground by the wind strength Tailwind increases speed over the ground by the wind strength Speed = distance/time The Flight *Distances are approximate, but very close to real-life. Moorabbin (M) to Bendigo (B) = 15x km, where x = 10 Bendigo to Albury (A) = x(2x + 5) Albury return to Moorabbin The triangle M-B-A is a right angled triangle where side A-M is the hypotenuse Other Factors Head wind of 20 km/hr on the second leg (Bendigo to Albury) Rain shower on the last leg (Albury to Moorabbin), to fly around this a division off-track must be made, following a circle of radius 15km, then returning to track. Add 10 minutes to the flight time at each landing (3 of) for time spent completing the circuit/approach pattern. You must land back at Moorabbin with at least 45 min worth of (emergency) fuel remaining. The Challenge Your mission is to determine whether or not the plane has enough fuel, with full-tanks at the start of the flight, to complete the entire journey without refuelling at any point CLEAR PROP!

07.01.2022 Guessing that we were not the only ones woken up by the storm last night... watching aircraft divert and hold to avoid the front as they were heading in to Tullamarine in the early hours. This frontal type of storm is very common in summer months across the SE states. The denser cold air associated with the front pushes under the warmer air ahead of it, lifting it up. This air cools as it rises, and the water vapour condenses to form cumulus clouds and the build up of the storm.

07.01.2022 2021 will also see the launch of a new Y10 Aviation and Space Science STEM class!

07.01.2022 Just a Decathlon in the hazy afternoon sun at Lilydale Flying School.

06.01.2022 And the final slide for Y10 Aerodynamics is complete There are still five more units to build the resources for however, all part of the Aviation and Space Science STEM Unit next year: 1) Aerodynamics (Forces & Motion) 2) Meteorology 3) Navigation & Flight Planning... 4) History of Flight & Space Travel 5) Human Factors & Living in Space 6) Astrophysics See more

06.01.2022 Extreme CAVOK for a lap around Mt Buller, and to check out the snow from above.

06.01.2022 Lilydale to Carrum, and down to Point Nepean today. Following Sunday's city orbit, we decided to complete the flight down the Eastern side of Port Phillip Bay this morning.

06.01.2022 Autumn in the Yarra Valley. Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.

05.01.2022 Acting as ballast for a check ride in the Cherokee 6 this morning, in some rather gusty, bumpy conditions.

04.01.2022 Tocumwal and Yarrawonga... fantastic day for it, and even more so, fantastic to be back in the air after 3 months!

04.01.2022 Text from the Qantas News Room, farewelling the Queen of the Skies: Qantas’s first female Captain, Sharelle Quinn, [was] in command of the final flight and said the aircraft has a very special place in the hearts of not just Qantas staff, but aviation enthusiasts and travellers alike. I have flown this aircraft for 36 years and it has been an absolute privilege, Captain Quinn said. "From the Pope to pop stars, our 747’s have carried over 250 million people safely to their d...estinations. Over the decades, it’s also swooped in on a number of occasions to save Aussies stranded far from home." Captain Quinn added, It has been a wonderful part of our history, a truly ground breaking aircraft and while we are sad to see our last one go, it’s time to hand over to the next generation of aircraft that are a lot more efficient. In almost 50 years of service, the Qantas Boeing 747 fleet of aircraft has flown over 3.6 billion kilometres, the equivalent of 4,700 return trips to the moon or 90,000 times around the world. You can read the full article here: https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au//qantas-farewells-queen/

03.01.2022 Just one of the many reasons why a thorough preflight inspection is essential. Sent to us by a fellow Lilydale pilot... sorry little bird, your own wings are much safer for you than hitching a ride in there.

01.01.2022 Have you ever noticed the distinct parallel lines of a survey flight... Quiet skies and good weather, saw lots of this type of flying above NSW over the Easter Weekend. All images are screen shots from Flightradar24. Want to find out more about a day in the life of a survey pilot? You can read more here: https://www.google.com//a-snapshot-in-the-life-of-a-photo-

01.01.2022 Fantastic afternoon for it today... Mornington and Martha Cove, post airwork in Archer DDM. These will be our last airborne views for a while, stay safe Melbourne!

01.01.2022 Around 30 students from Y7 to Y12 were lucky enough to attend a Zoom session today, with a panel of speakers from the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. A truly inspirational opportunity, with some very insightful questions ranging from prerequisites to join, to medical equipment, what procedures can be undertaken in the back of a plane, and which of these is the most difficult? The students were also encouraged to have a look at the RFDS Flight Map. The RFDS has 4 dif...ferent planes that are used for operations. These are the Pilatus PC-12 and PC-24 (used in SA/NT and WA), the King Air B350 C and B200 C (used in Qld, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania). "With 77 aircraft that cover the length and breadth of the country. This map shows the RFDS planes that are currently in the air, providing vital services across Australia." https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/map/

01.01.2022 Qantas took delivery of its first Boeing 747 in August 1971, and today farewelled VH-OEJ, the last remaining 747 in its fleet. Tracking flight number QF7474 on Flightradar24.com this afternoon, as she outlined the iconic flying roo, departing Sydney for the Mojave Desert via Los Angeles. Photograph by Duncan Fenn Photography.

01.01.2022 Built by two Year 8 students, the only teacher input here was help with the laser cutter. STEM Club ingenuity at its best.

01.01.2022 Preflight checks were postponed briefly today. Neither human nor doggo had any issues with this.