- To test how the balance of weight in an aircraft affects its flight, construct three to six paper airplanes using the same template. The airplanes should all be made from the same type of paper, weigh the same and have the same design. Attach a paper clip to different parts of the airplanes, such as the nose of one, the center of one, the tail of one and the wing of one. Set up a launcher or launch them yourself using the same angle and thrust. Time how long they stay in the air and observe where they land, noting how far forward and sideways they travel. Compare the flights to determine which center of gravity is most effective.
- Many aircrafts have been inspired by the shape of flying plants and animals, such as birds, flying squirrels and whirling maple tree seeds. From hang gliders and hot air balloons to fighter jets and helicopters, humans have a plethora of aeronautical devices with different motions in flight. You can test how the shape of an aircraft affects the motion of its flight by constructing different types of simple aircraft or finding examples of various aircraft in nature. Compare how birds and airplanes achieve lift or compare the single blade of a maple seed to the multiple blades of a helicopter. Explain how the principles of flight work in different ways for each type of aircraft.
- When you shoot a rifle or hurl a baseball, it follows a certain type of flight pattern called "projectile motion." The force of the propulsion works in opposition to the pull of gravity, creating a downward curving path. You can test the variables that affect the flight of projectiles by launching objects such as water balloons or paper airplanes. Launch the objects in a location without wind from several different angles, testing each angle three times and noting which angle provides the maximum distance. Then launch the objects in a place with different wind speeds, either outdoors or in a room with a fan. Make sure that all other variables do not change.
- If you are interested in the flight of space shuttles, you can test the variables that affect these aircraft by constructing bottle rockets. Use a two-liter or one-liter plastic bottle as the fuselage of the rocket and add design enhancements, such as a nose cone and fins. Experiment with how different fin shapes affect the altitude and direction of the rocket launch. You can also experiment with the mass of the rocket, the amount of water in the rocket, the pressure used to launch and the best method for keeping an egg inside the rocket from breaking as it falls back to the earth.
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