Evolution of Flight

Introduction
The history of aerospace technology is abundant with major engineering
achievements. Since the days of Leonardo da Vinci, people have been inventing
vehicles to satisfy their desire to fly. In a short span of less than 100 years, history
has seen the Wright Brothers first powered flight to voyages into space with the
Apollo and the Space Shuttle programs.

In this activity, you will select, research, and present the evolution of an invention
that was important to the advancement of aerospace technology.

Equipment
 Computers with Internet access, MS Word  and PowerPoint programs.
 Library access
 Engineering notebook

Procedure
In this activity, you will:

 Students will perform research to gather important historical facts related to an

aerospace invention.
 Summarize the results of their research in a PowerPoint  presentation.
 PowerPoint must have at least one video

You will select one of the aerospace inventions listed below to research. Using the
Internet and library resources, you will research and then present a Power point
presentation to the class on your chosen invention. You should plan your
presentation to be at least 5 minutes long. You and your partner may decide to add
information to enhance your lesson and to help students in your class understand
how your aerospace invention or innovations to the invention were important to the
advancement of aerospace technology.

Your research, and presentation, must address the following questions and items
:
1. Title Slide with topic, and team names.

2. Topic description

3. When and where was the aerospace invention first invented?

4. How has the invention changed since it was first introduced?

5. How, shown through a timeline, has the invention changed from its original form
to its present form? Be sure to list the major milestones and events during its
history.
a. using photos and drawings, Show how the invention evolved?
b. Who were the people that made significant contributions to the original
invention and the development of the technology? How did they work,
individually, in teams, or with other countries?
6. What advantages does this invention offer compared to other forms of flight?

7. What are the disadvantages of this invention compared to other forms of flight

8. Through your own prediction, how do you think the invention may change in the
future?

9. Based upon the research about the aerospace invention you selected, what was
the most surprising aspect of the invention that you discovered?

10. (Most Importantly) Anything else that is important for your chosen invention
or innovation.

11. Include a video(s) that help to reinforce your findings

12. Citations Page

Aerospace Inventions and Innovations:

a. Balloons
b. Airships
c. Gliders
d. Powered Aircraft : Up to World War I
e. Powered Aircraft : Post World War I to World War II
f. Powered Aircraft : Post World War II to present
g. Helicopters and Autogyros
h. Rockets
i. Manned Space Flight: Up to Apollo
j. Manned Space Flight: The Space Shuttle
k. Unmanned Space Probes
l. History of NACA and NASA
m. UAV
n. Satellites
Other inventions related to aerospace technology and flight may be added to this list
with approval from your instructor.

The following websites will be useful in your research:

 Howstuffworks-How Hot Air Balloons Work: URL:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/helium3.htm

 Allstar Network -History of Flight Level 3: URL:

http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/history31.htm

 Allstar Network -Rocket History: URL:

http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/Rock_Hist1.html

 Allstar Network -A Brief History of Rockets: URL:

http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/rocket-history.htm

 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)- History of

Flight: URL: http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=260

 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum- Milestones of Flight -

Exhibition Home Page: URL:
http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal100/gal100.html

 Gary Bradshaw- To Fly is Everything: URL:

http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/air_main.shtml

 NASA – History Division: URL:

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/humansp.html