Design Team
Design and Team go hand in hand. Design is a multidiciplinary concept comprising a number of skills from research to manufacture.
T&S 'Design Team' course has morphed back into its roots - "Aeroschool" mainly because of its focus on Aeromodelling - a context inextricably linked to the disciplines of design, testing, critical thinking, high quality production and rigourous procedures.
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To apply for this course you will need to have a track record with T&S. If you are new to us we invite you to visit us for a chat just to make sure this course is the right one for you and vice versa for our team. This is not a single session booking but the intention of attending for the full annual course.
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Introduction - why Aero?
We have found Aero engineering to be a great context for teamwork in design and engineering. Our goal is the educational journey rather than purely making aircraft hence the name change from Aeroschool to Design Team. We still plan to enter national competitions but this is dependent on the team's learning ambitions.
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Iterative - resilience, wellbeing, teamwork
Making things fly engenders a degree of effort, resilience, resolve, pragmatism in to the iterative process involved than many other contexts. This in itself is of great advantage regardless of one's interest in aircraft - it can be used to develop wellbeing, resilience in learning and practical skills. Team skills feature in our groups. Aircraft are made of multiple components each of which can be managed by a different individual. Communication and organisation ensures the group's success.
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STEM
Literacy and Numeracy are delivered almost subliminally at times. The word 'maths' rarely arises but the need to measure, scale, calculate even complex algebra comes up from time to time. The subject is laden with terminology and this can be learned quickly when the concepts involved are so tangible.
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Universally Enjoyable
Flight relates to the defeat of gravity - the greatest physical imposition to all objects of mass and also probably the greatest benefit. Aviation relates to manipulation of the thin air so as to travel and carry payloads and passengers in a constant battle of wits between places of rest. Air is invisible, powerful for one second and then vacuous. The aviator's quest is to to harness this fickle beast. Flight is a kind of 'magic' and those involved with aviation from pilots to airport staff share a highly esteemed community in common.
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Why Gliders? Why not power?
Gliders have been made for centuries if not longer. Power tends to mask many of the principles of aerodynamics. The obvious example in nature is the bumble bee but in the classroom gravity suffices as a simple and reliable force that can be used to power a glider. This is a scientific approach - to isolate the variables. Many power planes fly simply because of raw power. Gliders are designed to manage the smallest infludences of air to achieve lift.​​
Aeromodelling has long been the preserve of the budding engineer - How can we access this topic more readily that is loaded with STEM principles IN school, and from an earlier age? How can aero matters be harnessed to benefit all learners regardless of their aspirations towards engineering?
Properly educational products
Many gliders are available to be used for educational purposes but our glider range is strategic. They lead from one to the next in a way that maintains consistency and revises previous learning. You will find this concept in any academic curriculum and now you can enjoy this educational strategy in aeromodelling.
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Materials
Balsa-wood, tissue paper etc are traditionally used in aero modelling but in the classroom in the hands of youngsters there are commonly available materials that are cheaper and easier to work and that have appropriate properties.
We standardise on 2.5mm -3mm single-wall corrugated cardboard. Readily available, structurally sound, can be glued, cut and laser cut with ease and without too much fire risk. We also use 'Eflute' white card 1.5mm thick. Glue gun, gaffer tape, HobbyKing wing tape or postal adhesive tape. Poplar Plywood and 3MM Medite MDF.
Launching
Children struggle to throw a glider with any consistency at all and competition is impossible without a standard launch. Once the launch has been perfected children become MORE engaged and determined to achieve flight because an aspect of luck has been isolated and reduced.
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Our launcher standardises the launch. Please don't cut costs by launching by hand. You'll lose the interest of your best engineers. If you don't control the launch direction and velocity the more 'critically' minded will realise that throwing skills, or worse -' luck' plays a big part in success; they'll disengage. If you can't afford our launcher or DIY kit - please make your own! Once launching is trusted as 'fair' and equitable the true 'engineers' will spend hours perfecting their creations.
​​​​​​​​Skills
​Our kits require only very basic skills. Each unit delivers skills as appropriate and only use processes and materials that facilitate easy modification. CAD CAM is used liberally in order to circumavigate this skill issue. Please see our CAD CAM courses that support Aeroschool units. Starting points is a key feature of our products - we don't begin with raw materials until way down the road - its all about modifying our kits.
Remote/Radio Control
How to move from gliders to Radio Control?
Radio control can now be achieved quite inexpensively and flown in a large sports hall. Larger planes will require outdoor access where raft of rules and terms apply 0 and this is a good point at which to access a specialist centre or club if you don't have a sports field and a registered pilot.
T&S is fully registered and qualified to instruct you to learn to fly your own plane.
Challenges
Having beaten gravity the next step is to beat gravity better and better. Competition between designers is key to pushing the boundaries af what can be achieved and part of wellbeing and resilience in life is to embrace this challenge and use it for our benefit. Ground based technology rarely experiences the full judgement exacted on an airframe by gravity and so aero based challenges often result in detruction of various kinds. Aeroschool embrace this and design products to recover from catastrophe as quickly as possible through the use of materials and processes that aniticipate such eventualities and make repair quite straight forward.
Join us in our national challenges
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Products - see our online shop
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Cardboard glider kits
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Custom kits for model aircraft you can buy yourself
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Schemes of work
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Gravity launcher
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Payload Pal - BMFA Payload Challenge resources to get you to the show!
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Achievement Schemes you can do
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National Model Flying achievement schemes
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Bronze CREST awards for testing aero principles
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Silver and Gold CREST awards for entering the BMFA Payload Challenges.
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Scouts badges etc
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Hybrid Delivery and Resourcing
We run online learning and group video sessions and can provide you with all software and video resources you need to run your own club.
We can even laser cut your designs in cardboard and post them back to you!
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Training and Consultancy
Mark is available to train you to deliver our unique resources and or train your staff to deliver Aeroschool UK curriculum.