1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:16,040 Have you ever looked at the birds and wished you could fly? 2 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,320 On the other hand, have you ever wondered how a huge airplane is able to stay up in 3 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:20,320 the air? 4 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:39,320 Today on NASAConnect, we're going to show you how the shape of a plane affects its flight. 5 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:52,960 Hi, I'm Van Hughes. 6 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:54,880 Hi, and I'm Shelley Canright. 7 00:00:54,880 --> 00:01:00,360 Welcome to NASAConnect, the show that connects you to the world of math, science and NASA. 8 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,880 Right now, we're coming to you from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum located in Washington 9 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:05,880 D.C. 10 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,240 And Shelley, this is the perfect location to talk about the shape of planes. 11 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:10,240 Hey, that's right, Van. 12 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,800 If there's one place where you can experience the entire story of flight, this is it. 13 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:20,120 The National Air and Space Museum is home to 356 aircraft where collectively they reflect 14 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:21,920 the science of flight. 15 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,680 The museum is home to the first airplane developed by the Wright Brothers. 16 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:30,040 Notice how the propellers are in the back and the stabilizing wings are in the front. 17 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,440 There's the Fokker T-2, the first plane to cross America coast to coast, and Charles 18 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:39,840 Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the first airplane to fly nonstop across the Atlantic. 19 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,400 Then there are other planes which pushed aircraft design even further. 20 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,200 The Bell X-1 is a cross between a plane and a rocket. 21 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,400 It was the first airplane to break the sound barrier. 22 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,880 The Grumman X-29 has backward looking wings. 23 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:56,240 It goes so fast that the wings were deliberately designed to be unstable in order to enhance 24 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,560 the aircraft's maneuverability. 25 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,000 The museum also houses the Voyager. 26 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:02,880 Notice how long the wings are. 27 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:08,800 This wingspan ratio enabled pilots Dick Brutan and Jeanne Yeager to fly nonstop, non-refueled 28 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:10,040 around the world. 29 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:13,080 Boy, Shelley, there are a lot of different shapes here. 30 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,840 Imagine what the Wright Brothers would have designed if they would have had access to 31 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:17,560 today's math and scientific tools. 32 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:18,560 Hey, you're right, Ben. 33 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:22,840 You know, it's important to know that science and technology are closely related. 34 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:27,280 Our need to know and understand drives scientific research and leads to the development of technological 35 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:28,280 products. 36 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,960 Well, Shelley, that's what our show, Shapes of Flight, is all about today. 37 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:36,120 You'll see this interaction between math and science technology as we look at the process 38 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:37,280 of airplane design. 39 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:38,280 Hey, you know what? 40 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,800 We're going to talk to some NASA researchers who will show us the process and the tools 41 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,480 to research, develop, test, and evaluate airplane designs. 42 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,360 They'll share some challenging problems that they're working on and their solutions, which 43 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,520 might result in configurations for future aircraft. 44 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,800 And later on, you'll be able to interact live with our researchers by calling in or emailing 45 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,720 your questions to the researchers in the NASA Connect studio. 46 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,880 We'll also be joined by students from Jones Magnet Middle School in Hampton, Virginia, 47 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,200 who will conduct a flight experiment and share their data with us. 48 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,760 And there's much more to this program on the internet. 49 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,400 Whenever you see the NASA Connect website appear on the screen, that will be your clue 50 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:19,360 to check out the site for more information, fun, and activities relating to our discussion. 51 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:20,520 All right. 52 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:24,520 And so, Ben, my question to you, have you ever wanted to fly like a bird? 53 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:25,520 Of course. 54 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:26,520 You have. 55 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:30,160 Well, there's one place I know of that's as close to flying like a bird as you can get. 56 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,200 It's in North Carolina, not far from where the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane. 57 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,720 How would you like to go there and learn about the four forces of flight? 58 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:37,720 Well, sure. 59 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:38,720 All right. 60 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:39,720 First off, can you name the four forces? 61 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:40,720 Okay. 62 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,320 We have drag, lift, weight, and thrust. 63 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,040 Hey, that's right. 64 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:50,840 Drag is a force which slows the forward movement of an airplane as it pushes through the air. 65 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:55,260 Lift is created when the air pressure above a wing is less than the pressure below it. 66 00:03:55,260 --> 00:03:59,520 Thrust is created by a power source, which gives an airplane forward motion. 67 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:03,080 And weight is a force of gravity pulling an airplane down. 68 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:08,280 Well, you can learn about these four forces in a real hands-on way, like by hang gliding. 69 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:09,280 Interested? 70 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:10,800 Well, how long will it take us to get there? 71 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,280 Oh, about as fast as I can snap my fingers. 72 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:14,280 Well, I'm all ready. 73 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:15,280 Ready to go. 74 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:16,280 All right, then, gang. 75 00:04:16,280 --> 00:04:20,080 Well, I'm going to send Van on assignment to Jockey's Ridge State Park in Kitty Hawk, 76 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,080 North Carolina, to experience flight firsthand. 77 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,600 In the meantime, I'm going to North Carolina. 78 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,800 Also, I'm going to Dare County to talk with some experimental aviators who are pushing 79 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,800 the envelope of flight, just like our early aviation pioneers. 80 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:32,800 Let's go. 81 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:37,800 I'm here at the Regalo Kite Festival here in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 82 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,720 People from all over the world come here to fly their kites on the same sand dunes that 83 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,400 the Wright brothers used to fly the very first airplane. 84 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,840 Now, did you know that the Chinese were the first people to fly kites? 85 00:04:48,840 --> 00:04:53,500 Almost 3,000 years ago, the Chinese built kites out of silk and bamboo. 86 00:04:53,500 --> 00:04:57,600 For years, the kite has been thought of as a trivial toy, but history tells us that the 87 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,040 kite is so much more than a toy. 88 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,320 Throughout history, kites have been used by civil engineers to construct bridges, and 89 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:08,600 perhaps most famously, by Ben Franklin to study electricity. 90 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,680 Why even NASA has studied kites? 91 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:15,160 Matter of fact, this kite festival is named for a famous NASA researcher and his work 92 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,200 with the flexible wing. 93 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:21,680 Mr. Francis Regalo, known as the father of hang gliding, created the paraglider. 94 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:26,880 That was one of the possible design solutions for returning a space capsule back to Earth. 95 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,080 Mr. Regalo is here today for this kite festival. 96 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,480 He has given me some background on how a flexible wing works. 97 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:34,480 Want to know more? 98 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,480 Visit the NASA Connect website. 99 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:42,880 And you know, Van, if you'd like to fly, we can go out there and go hang gliding. 100 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:44,880 Oh, wow, that'd be great. 101 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:45,880 Yeah. 102 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:46,880 Right now? 103 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:47,880 Right now. 104 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:48,880 Let's go. 105 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:49,880 All right. 106 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:50,880 Let's go. 107 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,120 We'll be back in just a few moments to catch up with Van, but right now we're here at 108 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,480 windy Manteo, North Carolina. 109 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,280 Actually we're at the Deer County Airport where Air Adventure 98 is just about ready 110 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:02,400 to get underway. 111 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:06,280 Air Adventure 98, now that's an air race for experimental aircraft. 112 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:10,040 But not too far from here is Kitty Hawk, which is the site of the first historic powered 113 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,960 air flight in 1903. 114 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,680 The Wright brothers changed the world forever when Orville Wright went up into the air for 115 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,680 the first successful heavier than air flight. 116 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,840 This machine was just one step in a broad experimental program that began with a glider 117 00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:25,800 kite that they built in 1899. 118 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:30,760 Not only did they build the first successful plane, but they built the first wind tunnel 119 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:37,880 and they had to find out for themselves the dynamics of lift, drag, weight, and thrust 120 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:38,880 on a shape. 121 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:44,560 Ever since the Wright brothers successfully tested their flying machine off the sand dunes 122 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:49,600 of Kitty Hawk, we've seen a multitude of designers, builders, and adventures trying to take their 123 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,080 machines to someplace faster, farther, and higher. 124 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,600 Well, that's what Air Adventure 98 is all about. 125 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:56,600 It honors those people. 126 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:02,760 They will set off right here from historic North Carolina and set sail across the skies 127 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,760 to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where they're set to kick off the largest experimental aircraft 128 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,680 air show in North America, Oshkosh. 129 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,660 Aviation enthusiasts annually gather in Oshkosh to witness firsthand new design concepts and 130 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:20,760 technologies that could open up new vistas to the field of aeronautical engineering and 131 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:25,200 to personal and commercial aircraft venues. 132 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:30,320 Air Adventure brings out many different personalities and many different extraordinary looking aircraft. 133 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:35,680 Joining me right now is a very special personality, Hoot Gibson, who is a former astronaut, was 134 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:41,000 a commander on four missions, and has flown over 60 different airplanes. 135 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,720 And behind me, you can see the airplane he's going to be racing in. 136 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,480 How about giving us a little lowdown on this big plane? 137 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:51,680 Well, Shelley, this airplane is a Hawker Sea Fury, built by the British right after World 138 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:52,680 War II. 139 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:56,800 So right in the late 40s and early 50s is when these airplanes started flying. 140 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:58,640 It's a really interesting bird. 141 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:00,960 It's a very big, heavy, powerful machine. 142 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,800 It weighs about 9,000 pounds. 143 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,000 It has a 3,000 horsepower engine in it. 144 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:11,080 And as you can see, it's got about a 14-foot diameter propeller. 145 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,600 As you can see, the wings fold, of course. 146 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,160 It used to be a carrier fighter, was what the British used it for. 147 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:21,960 And you always want to minimize the size of the airplane when it's time to stow it away 148 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:23,200 on the carrier. 149 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,040 So you fold the wings and it takes up a lot less space. 150 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:30,800 The wings actually cost you a little bit of weight because you've got to put in some mechanism 151 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,000 to make the wings fold and to lock the wings because, of course, you want to lock them 152 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:35,000 when they're down. 153 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,440 You don't want them folding up by themselves, obviously. 154 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:38,440 Yeah. 155 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:39,560 Well, I have a final question for you. 156 00:08:39,560 --> 00:08:42,600 This is what I call a tortoise and hare question. 157 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:47,640 Your plane certainly is bigger than any other airplane that's going to be in this air race. 158 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:52,480 So given that, which plane do you think is going to be your closest competitor in this 159 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:53,680 race? 160 00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:56,720 I'm not even sure, Shelly, that we're going to win this race. 161 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:01,560 We do have the biggest, most powerful, heaviest airplane out here, but it doesn't have any 162 00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:03,380 kind of guarantee that we're going to win. 163 00:09:03,380 --> 00:09:07,880 The other airplane that I think is real fast and may be a real problem for us is the Lancer 164 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:13,120 4 with the Chevrolet V8 engine in it with the five-bladed propeller. 165 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,220 I think he's going to be very fast, and he's going to fly a lot higher. 166 00:09:17,220 --> 00:09:22,120 He can be up in the 25,000 to 30,000 foot range. 167 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:23,120 We're going to be quite a bit lower. 168 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:25,880 We're going to be down around 20,000 feet, somewhere around there. 169 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,200 So he's going to be some real competition, I think, on this length of a race. 170 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,840 So there's a lot of variables in here that are going to enter into this race. 171 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:33,840 There really are. 172 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:34,840 So stay tuned. 173 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:36,080 We'll see who comes out ahead. 174 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:55,080 Well, gang, as you can see, designing and building an airplane takes an awful lot of 175 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:56,080 work. 176 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:58,360 And among that, it takes some problem-solving strategies. 177 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:03,440 Now, that means you've got to be able to identify and understand just what the question or problem 178 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,240 is so you can begin to investigate it. 179 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:10,160 Right now, you're going to meet some of today's researchers who are involved in the shapes 180 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:11,240 of flight. 181 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:16,120 As you meet this research team, consider the role of mathematics and mathematical tools 182 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:22,280 in scientific inquiry, the value of collaborations and teamwork in conducting research, and the 183 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,280 engineering process and its application in everyday life. 184 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:30,120 The leader of this design team is Mike Logan. 185 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:31,760 Airplane design is a team effort. 186 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,040 Like any good team, every job is important. 187 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,600 As project engineer, it's my job to shepherd the aircraft through its stages in the life 188 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,600 cycle. 189 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,520 To define the problem, let's look at a current challenge. 190 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:46,640 Twenty years from now, NASA wants an airplane that will carry twice as many passengers as 191 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,840 today's airliners and transport them to their destination at half the cost. 192 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,480 That's a big challenge, especially when you consider that the airplanes of the future 193 00:10:54,480 --> 00:11:00,120 will have to be quieter, safer, more fuel efficient, and more environmentally friendly. 194 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,260 The next step in the process, then, is to propose solutions. 195 00:11:03,260 --> 00:11:04,260 This is Paul Gellhausen. 196 00:11:04,260 --> 00:11:05,980 He's one of our designers on our team. 197 00:11:05,980 --> 00:11:08,940 Paul, why don't you talk about one of the solutions you're working on? 198 00:11:08,940 --> 00:11:12,860 Well, the solution that's up here is the blended wing body concept. 199 00:11:12,860 --> 00:11:19,380 It's a radical change from the 747 type airplane, which is a tube with wings. 200 00:11:19,380 --> 00:11:24,180 We've gotten rid of the bumps and some of the bulges that are on the traditional airplane 201 00:11:24,180 --> 00:11:29,780 that has a glide ratio of about 18, and put them into a much more clean aerodynamic shape 202 00:11:30,780 --> 00:11:34,580 that will have a glide ratio of 23, we hope. 203 00:11:34,580 --> 00:11:36,080 Thanks, Paul. 204 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:41,820 Step three in the engineering problem-solving method is to analyze and evaluate solutions. 205 00:11:41,820 --> 00:11:45,380 To do that in the airplane world, we think about the four basic forces on an airplane 206 00:11:45,380 --> 00:11:49,140 – lift, drag, thrust, and weight. 207 00:11:49,140 --> 00:11:52,960 Those four forces have to be in balance for the airplane to work. 208 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,820 To do that, we turn to experts in the field. 209 00:11:55,820 --> 00:11:56,820 This is Karen Deer. 210 00:11:56,820 --> 00:11:59,740 She's one of our nozzle researchers that helps us look at thrust. 211 00:11:59,740 --> 00:12:03,220 Karen, why don't you talk about what a nozzle researcher does? 212 00:12:03,220 --> 00:12:07,540 I design and research nozzle concepts to determine which is the best candidate for generating 213 00:12:07,540 --> 00:12:09,540 thrust for an airplane. 214 00:12:09,540 --> 00:12:13,140 Sir Isaac Newton's third principle, which states for every action there's an equal 215 00:12:13,140 --> 00:12:16,060 and opposite reaction, helps us understand thrust. 216 00:12:16,060 --> 00:12:21,900 If we use a balloon to demonstrate this, we allow the air inside the balloon to escape 217 00:12:21,900 --> 00:12:23,140 through the opening. 218 00:12:23,140 --> 00:12:25,900 We see the motion of the balloon in the opposite direction. 219 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:29,060 A nozzle can be compared to the opening of a balloon. 220 00:12:29,060 --> 00:12:32,380 Changing the size changes the amount of thrust generated. 221 00:12:32,380 --> 00:12:35,780 Nozzles have different shapes, just like airplanes have different shapes. 222 00:12:35,780 --> 00:12:37,740 There's always trade-offs in the design process. 223 00:12:37,740 --> 00:12:39,500 There certainly are, Karen. 224 00:12:39,500 --> 00:12:44,860 In fact, one of the trade-offs that we look at is the cost required to achieve the capability 225 00:12:44,860 --> 00:12:46,540 that we want to have. 226 00:12:46,540 --> 00:12:50,700 Sharon Jones is one of the people that helps evaluate these concepts from a cost standpoint. 227 00:12:50,700 --> 00:12:53,020 Sharon, why don't you talk a little bit about that? 228 00:12:53,020 --> 00:12:59,140 Well, Mike, what we do is we create a model of the aircraft on a computer so that way 229 00:12:59,140 --> 00:13:03,220 we can go in and change different aspects of the aircraft. 230 00:13:03,220 --> 00:13:08,100 We can look at what type of materials are we going to use, how big is the aircraft going 231 00:13:08,100 --> 00:13:12,820 to be, how many passengers will it carry, and also how much it's going to cost for the 232 00:13:12,820 --> 00:13:15,180 airlines to operate the aircraft. 233 00:13:15,180 --> 00:13:16,180 Thanks, Sharon. 234 00:13:16,180 --> 00:13:20,180 The last step in the process is to select and refine the solution. 235 00:13:20,180 --> 00:13:23,820 We'll take a look at that in a moment, but first, let's check in with Shelly and Van, 236 00:13:23,820 --> 00:13:27,660 where he's getting his own lesson on the balance of the four forces of flight. 237 00:13:27,660 --> 00:13:35,100 I'm getting suited up in my hang glider outfit thing here, and yeah, all righty. 238 00:13:35,100 --> 00:13:40,260 I'm going to get hooked up here, getting ready for my first flight, and I guess we'll catch 239 00:13:40,260 --> 00:13:41,260 you all later. 240 00:13:41,260 --> 00:13:43,260 Back to you, Shelly. 241 00:13:43,260 --> 00:13:47,780 Well, it looks like Van is getting some final instructions before he's going to find himself 242 00:13:47,780 --> 00:13:48,780 airborne. 243 00:13:48,780 --> 00:13:53,060 And me, I'm going to change my clothes, and I'll meet you back at the Connect Studio. 244 00:13:53,060 --> 00:13:57,420 And you guys, I'm sending you first on a final check, and I'm going to send you to check 245 00:13:57,420 --> 00:14:02,820 out the most powerful tool used by aeronautical engineers when they're doing their investigations. 246 00:14:02,820 --> 00:14:08,300 That tool, the wind tunnel, such as those found at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, 247 00:14:08,300 --> 00:14:09,300 Virginia. 248 00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:11,340 Thanks, Shelly, and welcome back. 249 00:14:11,340 --> 00:14:14,860 It's at this point in our design process that we begin to refine our design. 250 00:14:14,860 --> 00:14:19,060 We do that by using scale models of the configuration and testing them in the wind tunnel. 251 00:14:19,060 --> 00:14:22,700 With me now is Zach Applin, who's head of some of our subsonic aerodynamics research 252 00:14:22,700 --> 00:14:23,700 here at Langley. 253 00:14:23,700 --> 00:14:25,340 Zach, why don't you take it from here? 254 00:14:25,340 --> 00:14:26,540 Hi, Mike. 255 00:14:26,540 --> 00:14:28,860 Many models can be made of an airplane concept. 256 00:14:28,860 --> 00:14:34,140 There can be part of the airplane, such as a wing or a tail, or the entire airplane itself. 257 00:14:34,140 --> 00:14:38,340 These models can range in size from just a few inches to as large as 12 feet, as the 258 00:14:38,340 --> 00:14:40,660 737 model behind us. 259 00:14:40,660 --> 00:14:45,100 We build these models up in this wind tunnel on top of these large 80,000-pound gantries. 260 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:49,820 When we're ready for tests, powerful jets actually float the entire structure about 261 00:14:49,820 --> 00:14:51,300 an inch off the floor. 262 00:14:51,300 --> 00:14:54,820 We then move the entire assembly into the wind tunnel for testing. 263 00:14:54,820 --> 00:14:59,220 A wind tunnel is basically a giant tapered tube with a large fan in the circuit. 264 00:14:59,220 --> 00:15:03,140 The wind tunnel simulates the flow of air as it glides over the plane's surface. 265 00:15:03,140 --> 00:15:07,140 Doing this in a wind tunnel gives us very controlled conditions to test out concepts 266 00:15:07,140 --> 00:15:08,980 from the design people. 267 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:13,380 Talking about the blended wing body, we found the design to be very successful so far. 268 00:15:13,380 --> 00:15:15,300 It holds a lot of promise for the future. 269 00:15:15,300 --> 00:15:16,780 Thanks, Zach. 270 00:15:16,780 --> 00:15:19,980 Some of the concepts that you've seen today may very well be the airplanes you're flying 271 00:15:19,980 --> 00:15:20,980 in tomorrow. 272 00:15:20,980 --> 00:15:26,260 Math, science, engineering, teamwork and problem solving are all important tools that have 273 00:15:26,260 --> 00:15:30,020 to be available for these airplanes to come into being for you in the future. 274 00:15:30,020 --> 00:15:33,060 Now back to you, Shelly. 275 00:15:33,060 --> 00:15:35,180 Wow. 276 00:15:35,180 --> 00:15:39,380 Let me tell you, that was a great trip visiting Hooton-Gibson at the Derry County Airport 277 00:15:39,380 --> 00:15:40,380 in North Carolina. 278 00:15:40,380 --> 00:15:44,260 But you know, the variables of being outside in the wind and the rain can really get to 279 00:15:44,260 --> 00:15:47,340 you and I'm glad to be back here in the Connect Studio. 280 00:15:47,340 --> 00:15:53,500 Well, as Mike has said, it is today's students that will become NASA's future researchers. 281 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:58,300 So let's go visit Jones Magnet Middle School in Hampton, Virginia, where students are investigating 282 00:15:58,300 --> 00:16:02,740 an aeronautical challenge involving surface area and glide ratio. 283 00:16:02,740 --> 00:16:04,040 Follow along. 284 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:08,040 And when we come back, we'll look at the data collected by these students and then you, 285 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:12,960 my friends, will be challenged to make your own analysis and predictions based upon their 286 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:13,960 results. 287 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:21,560 Hi, we're students from Jones Magnet Middle School in Hampton, Virginia. 288 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:26,280 We were asked to investigate the glide ratio for different model airplanes designed to 289 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,800 determine which design provides the best glide ratio. 290 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:35,560 The glide ratio of a plane describes the forward distance flown per drop in altitude 291 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,120 in the absence of power and wind. 292 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:43,560 For example, a three to one ratio means that if you are one mile up, you better be within 293 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:46,240 three miles of the airport. 294 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:50,480 Ms. Tominak and Ms. Farnwell, our science and math teachers, divided our class into 295 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:51,760 four teams. 296 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,360 The blue team, the red team, the yellow team, and the white team. 297 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,960 Each team will fly a different design. 298 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:02,120 To do our experiment, we used the following materials. 299 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:03,120 Copier paper. 300 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,880 We used different colors to identify each team. 301 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:11,920 We also used glue, a meter stick, and a tape measure. 302 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:17,840 Each team was asked to select one design from the four patterns provided to us by NASA Langley. 303 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:24,420 The shapes included the egret, the flex, the basic square, and the condor. 304 00:17:24,420 --> 00:17:29,180 Each team constructs a different model and calculates the total area of the paper used 305 00:17:29,180 --> 00:17:31,660 in creating the model. 306 00:17:31,660 --> 00:17:37,020 Next we figure how much of the total area is actually devoted to the airplane's wing. 307 00:17:37,020 --> 00:17:39,420 Now we're ready to run our flight test. 308 00:17:39,420 --> 00:17:46,180 For our baseline test, we decide to launch the airplane at two and two-tenths meters 309 00:17:46,180 --> 00:17:48,020 from the ground. 310 00:17:48,020 --> 00:17:51,300 This becomes the plane's flight altitude. 311 00:17:51,300 --> 00:17:56,220 All four groups conduct ten test flights from this flight altitude. 312 00:17:56,220 --> 00:18:01,300 We're careful to launch each flight test from the same altitude and to be as consistent 313 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:04,780 as possible in the force used to launch the airplane. 314 00:18:04,780 --> 00:18:10,500 We then measure the distance the plane goes from launch point to where it first touches 315 00:18:10,500 --> 00:18:11,500 the ground. 316 00:18:11,500 --> 00:18:17,140 We take our data, order it from shortest to longest distances, and then calculate the 317 00:18:17,140 --> 00:18:20,020 median and the mean for the data. 318 00:18:20,020 --> 00:18:25,540 We are now ready to compute the glide ratios for the shortest distance, the longest distance, 319 00:18:25,540 --> 00:18:27,820 the median, and the mean. 320 00:18:27,820 --> 00:18:33,100 Using the formula, horizontal distance divided by the change in altitude, we're ready to 321 00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:38,420 answer the question, which of the glide ratios that you have computed is the best one to 322 00:18:38,420 --> 00:18:42,180 use in describing a plane's glide ratio? 323 00:18:42,180 --> 00:18:48,880 Well, talking about variables, it looks like two of our NASA researchers have now joined 324 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:52,820 us in the studio, and they've brought some aircraft models to share with us. 325 00:18:52,820 --> 00:18:58,040 And talking about research, it's time to make you a part of our audience research team. 326 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:02,000 Over the next several minutes, you'll be presented with several questions related to the data 327 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,200 collected from our Jones Magnet Middle School students. 328 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:09,840 Then after this segment, our NASA researchers, Mike Logan and Zach Applin, will be taking 329 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,760 your phone calls and emails through the numbers indicated at the bottom of the screen. 330 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:18,280 Okay now, look carefully at the data, and working with your fellow students, answer 331 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:23,080 the questions as read aloud by Zach Applin, who is the assistant head of the subsonic 332 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:28,600 aerodynamics branch here at NASA Langley Research Center. 333 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:45,160 Calculate the glide ratios for the shortest and longest distance flown. 334 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:43,800 Calculate the mean and the median for the distance flown. 335 00:20:43,800 --> 00:21:12,440 Calculate the mean and the median for the distance flown. 336 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:41,080 Calculate the mean and the median for the distance flown. 337 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:49,240 Calculate the mean and the median for the distance flown. 338 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:54,160 Predict how far the airplane would glide if launched from a height twice the experimental 339 00:21:54,160 --> 00:22:14,800 altitude shown in Trial 5. 340 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:43,440 Predict how far the airplane would glide if launched from a height twice the experimental 341 00:22:43,440 --> 00:23:01,200 So, how do you think you did? 342 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:06,200 Well, your mathematical computations and reasoning are important skills to answering the last 343 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:07,200 questions. 344 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,240 Also, are you ready with your own questions? 345 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:15,520 Here we are now with me to field my questions are Mike and Zach, and shown on your set are 346 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:16,960 the numbers to use. 347 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:21,680 Now please note that the telephone numbers are good only for today's November 10th broadcast. 348 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:23,240 Alright, let me begin. 349 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:26,680 I've got a number of email questions that have come in, so I'm going to start with the 350 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:27,920 email questions. 351 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:32,720 My first question, if you take a look at it, is what is glide ratio? 352 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,320 Mike or Zach, who would like to answer that? 353 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:35,320 I'll go ahead. 354 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:41,240 The glide ratio, as you saw earlier, is the ratio of the horizontal distance flown to 355 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:42,840 the altitude drop. 356 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:49,040 Now from a design standpoint, we look at the glide ratio as the result of the aerodynamic 357 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:55,640 efficiency, which is basically the lift versus the drag ratio, or L over D. So when we design 358 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,160 an airplane, glide ratio is important. 359 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:01,560 That's a measure of the aerodynamic efficiency and how good the airplane is. 360 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,480 Alright, we had a question that was related to that. 361 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:06,280 Look at our second email question. 362 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,880 Someone wants to know, does weather affect glide ratio? 363 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:11,880 It certainly can. 364 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:15,880 In fact, earlier you saw the wind and the rain. 365 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:19,720 Those are two factors that very heavily, in fact, impact the glide ratio. 366 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:24,840 The more wind that you have and the higher the rainfall, the more likely you are to have 367 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:26,240 not as good a glide ratio. 368 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,280 Okay, so wind speed could be a factor here then. 369 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:33,000 Alright, well I know that we have a caller out there, so caller, how about giving us 370 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,120 your name please and your question. 371 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:40,960 Go ahead, caller, can you give us your name and your question? 372 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:49,520 Michael Williams, I'd like to know how far could the first airplane in your show go? 373 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:54,880 If you could turn down your set and ask the question again, I think we would hear it a 374 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:55,880 little bit more clearly. 375 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:57,360 Could you repeat that again please? 376 00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:59,080 That's the fun doing that. 377 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:02,840 Okay, could you ask the question one more time then please? 378 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,000 How far did the first model go? 379 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:10,960 How far did the model go? 380 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,680 Are you referring to the student's model? 381 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:14,680 Yeah. 382 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:20,480 Well, you saw there on the data that they collected that it went, they tried it 10 times 383 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:25,420 and we saw their data for 5 times and you saw the distance for 5 of those flights. 384 00:25:25,420 --> 00:25:31,020 So your challenge is to go back and look at that data and you could calculate the mean 385 00:25:31,020 --> 00:25:34,820 and the median for those 5 flights and then you'll have that answer. 386 00:25:34,820 --> 00:25:35,820 Good question. 387 00:25:35,820 --> 00:25:40,180 Alright, well let me go back to my email because I know I've got several questions that have 388 00:25:40,180 --> 00:25:41,180 come in here. 389 00:25:41,180 --> 00:25:47,380 Here's a question, how do researchers in designing an airplane decide what its wingspan should 390 00:25:47,380 --> 00:25:48,380 be? 391 00:25:48,380 --> 00:25:50,020 That's a good question, Shelly. 392 00:25:50,020 --> 00:25:52,540 It really depends on the aircraft mission. 393 00:25:52,540 --> 00:25:58,140 Typically transport aircraft have very long wingspans where they need high fuel efficiency. 394 00:25:58,140 --> 00:26:02,900 For fighter type aircraft, you typically have shorter spans, you require a lot more structural 395 00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:05,300 strength out of the airplane. 396 00:26:05,300 --> 00:26:08,540 So you typically have a short span on fighter type configurations. 397 00:26:08,540 --> 00:26:09,540 Okay. 398 00:26:09,540 --> 00:26:12,820 Alright, we've got another email question that's kind of related to this. 399 00:26:12,820 --> 00:26:15,300 Alright, and maybe you've answered this already. 400 00:26:15,300 --> 00:26:20,580 How important is the width of a wingspan in an airplane's performance? 401 00:26:20,620 --> 00:26:25,460 In a very simple sense, I guess the longer the span, typically the more fuel efficient 402 00:26:25,460 --> 00:26:28,340 an airplane configuration would be. 403 00:26:28,340 --> 00:26:31,500 That's why you see long spans on commercial transport airplanes. 404 00:26:31,500 --> 00:26:34,580 Alright, well I know we've got another caller out there, so let's go ahead and go back to 405 00:26:34,580 --> 00:26:35,580 the phones. 406 00:26:35,580 --> 00:26:38,580 And caller, could you give us your name please and your question? 407 00:26:38,580 --> 00:26:42,340 Yes, my name is Eric Morgan, I have a question for them. 408 00:26:42,340 --> 00:26:47,900 My question is, the little perforated holes or the little holes in a golf ball that help 409 00:26:47,900 --> 00:26:53,140 break down wind turbulence for the golf ball, will that help on a plane's wing to reduce 410 00:26:53,140 --> 00:26:54,140 drag? 411 00:26:54,140 --> 00:26:55,140 Oh, good question. 412 00:26:55,140 --> 00:26:56,140 Who wants to take that one? 413 00:26:56,140 --> 00:26:57,140 Mike, Zach? 414 00:26:57,140 --> 00:26:58,900 I can do that one. 415 00:26:58,900 --> 00:27:03,220 As you know though, the little dimples on a golf ball helps change the drag of the golf 416 00:27:03,220 --> 00:27:05,620 ball by creating turbulence. 417 00:27:05,620 --> 00:27:10,300 Now in fact, there's a similar system that can be applied to transport configurations 418 00:27:10,300 --> 00:27:14,900 called hybrid laminar flow control, where in fact there's little holes that can either 419 00:27:14,900 --> 00:27:20,900 suck air in or blow air out that helps to create a smooth layer of air near the surface 420 00:27:20,900 --> 00:27:22,100 of the skin. 421 00:27:22,100 --> 00:27:26,100 That actually can reduce the drag of the airplane as much as 15 to 16 percent. 422 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:27,100 Alright, good question. 423 00:27:27,100 --> 00:27:28,460 Did you want to add something else? 424 00:27:28,460 --> 00:27:32,820 Yes, and actually a very similar application that's developed here at NASA Langley is a 425 00:27:32,820 --> 00:27:37,660 turbulent drag reduction in the form of what we call riblets, which are fairly rough surfaces 426 00:27:37,660 --> 00:27:41,580 along the airplane, which actually reduce the overall drag of the wing. 427 00:27:41,700 --> 00:27:46,660 Alright, well, that's about all the time we have, so I'd like to thank all the guests 428 00:27:46,660 --> 00:27:52,060 that contributed to this program, including Mike and Zach, Paul, Karen and Sharon. 429 00:27:52,060 --> 00:27:57,260 I'd also like to thank Jones Magnet Middle School, Deer County Airport, AirVenture 98 430 00:27:57,260 --> 00:28:02,340 and Hoot Gibson, who did win his race, and finally, the Smithsonian National Air and 431 00:28:02,340 --> 00:28:05,180 Space Museum. 432 00:28:05,180 --> 00:28:09,460 Just a final reminder to check out the Shapes of Flight website where you will see, hear 433 00:28:09,460 --> 00:28:11,820 and learn more about today's topic. 434 00:28:11,820 --> 00:28:16,420 Also, we invite you to camp out with like-minded students in our special virtual aeronautics 435 00:28:16,420 --> 00:28:17,420 camp. 436 00:28:17,420 --> 00:28:22,340 No sleeping bags required, just some creativity and mathematics and science know-how. 437 00:28:22,340 --> 00:28:27,100 Videotape copies of this show, along with the lesson plan, may be obtained from NASA's 438 00:28:27,100 --> 00:28:31,300 Central Operation of Resources for Educators, or CORE. 439 00:28:31,300 --> 00:28:34,660 And now, back to Van for his final ascent into the air. 440 00:28:34,660 --> 00:28:36,820 I'm Shelley Canright for NASA Connect. 441 00:28:36,820 --> 00:28:37,860 Thanks for joining us. 442 00:28:39,900 --> 00:28:43,460 We'd like to give a special thanks to Kitty Hawk Kites for letting us use the hang glider 443 00:28:43,460 --> 00:28:47,140 and Dr. Ruggallo for appearing on our show. 444 00:28:47,140 --> 00:28:50,820 So connect with us next time when we connect you to math, science and NASA. 445 00:28:50,820 --> 00:28:52,420 I'm Van Hughes. 446 00:28:52,420 --> 00:28:53,420 See you later. 447 00:28:57,420 --> 00:28:58,420 That looks good right there. 448 00:28:58,420 --> 00:28:59,420 Up a little higher. 449 00:28:59,420 --> 00:29:00,420 Up, up, up, up, up. 450 00:29:00,420 --> 00:29:01,420 Right there. 451 00:29:01,420 --> 00:29:02,420 Stay loose with your hands. 452 00:29:02,420 --> 00:29:03,420 And... 453 00:29:03,420 --> 00:29:04,420 Look ahead. 454 00:29:04,420 --> 00:29:05,420 Clear! 455 00:29:05,420 --> 00:29:06,420 Walk. 456 00:29:06,420 --> 00:29:07,420 Look ahead. 457 00:29:07,420 --> 00:29:08,420 Now run like that. 458 00:29:08,420 --> 00:29:09,420 Faster. 459 00:29:09,420 --> 00:29:10,420 Faster. 460 00:29:10,420 --> 00:29:11,420 Faster. 461 00:29:11,420 --> 00:29:12,420 Faster. 462 00:29:12,420 --> 00:29:13,420 And just let go. 463 00:29:13,420 --> 00:29:14,420 Let go. 464 00:29:14,420 --> 00:29:15,420 Let go. 465 00:29:15,420 --> 00:29:16,420 Pull in one inch. 466 00:29:16,420 --> 00:29:17,420 Right there. 467 00:29:17,420 --> 00:29:18,420 Perfect. 468 00:29:18,420 --> 00:29:19,420 Reach over. 469 00:29:19,420 --> 00:29:20,420 There. 470 00:29:20,420 --> 00:29:21,420 Right there. 471 00:29:21,420 --> 00:29:22,420 Keep it out. 472 00:29:22,420 --> 00:29:23,420 Keep it out. 473 00:29:23,420 --> 00:29:24,420 Hold it out. 474 00:29:24,420 --> 00:29:25,420 Yeah! 475 00:29:25,420 --> 00:29:26,420 Woo! 476 00:29:26,420 --> 00:29:27,420 You got it, man. 477 00:29:27,420 --> 00:29:28,420 Yeah. 478 00:29:28,420 --> 00:29:29,420 Yeah. 479 00:29:29,420 --> 00:29:30,420 Set it down. 480 00:29:30,420 --> 00:29:31,420 What do you think? 481 00:29:31,420 --> 00:29:32,420 I did it. 482 00:29:32,420 --> 00:29:33,420 I did that. 483 00:29:33,420 --> 00:29:34,420 I love it. 484 00:29:34,420 --> 00:29:38,420 It's the best sport in the world. 485 00:29:39,420 --> 00:29:40,420 I love it. 486 00:29:40,420 --> 00:29:40,420