Creative Arts and Design Technology

Year 7 Design and Technology - Aviation Museum Visit

On 27 August, Mr Stanborough’s Year 7 Design and Technology class went on an excursion to Port Adelaide and visited the Aviation Museum. In class students have been introduced to flight theory and aeronautical engineering concepts in class and will work through the design process to construct an experimental model aircraft. Making models is as much about trying to understand the problem as it is about solving the problem. The knowledgeable tour guides at the Aviation Museum explained how different aircraft work and how they fly with a focus on the specific components of individual aircraft, their use and design limitations as well as materials used in construction. It was fascinating to see the evolution of the aircraft throughout history as technology has impacted design.

The excursion was a great experience and expanded students thinking. It gave students ideas for their own plane design and it has been a great STEM project. The knowledge students gained was invaluable and will aid them in the modification of their own plane designs. It also gave students an opportunity to think about potential career paths in the aviation industry beyond school. Students will be test flying their planes in the coming weeks, modifying their designs to meet the brief (speed) and then the final flight will be a dogfight finish the unit where only one plane will survive and be put in storage to defend its title next year! 

Mr Owen Stanborough

HEAD OF HOUSE - DE VITORIA/LAGRANGE