How To Carry Out Activities Of Model Aircraft

By Author: Camille Adam
Total Articles: 1
Comment this article

To carry out activities of model aircraft we should avoid rote learning or boring injection education as much as possible and we should focus on guiding and inspiring students’ ability of independent thinking, practice personally, innovative boldly and other respects.

1. Determinants of model aircraft activities

We should take various specific circumstances in consideration when organizing model aircraft activities to decide the appropriate content under the existing conditions.
(1) Conditions of The Enthusiasts
That mainly refers to the number, age, educational level, ability of practice, foundation of making and flying model airplanes and plenty of time, etc.
(2) Conditions of Substance
That mainly refers to the flight equipment, production tools, commonly used equipment, studio, space for flight, transport, date and funds, etc.
(3) Counselors’ conditions
That mainly refers to the counselors technical level, professional expertise, age, physical condition, full-time or part-time and organizational ability, etc.

The specific circumstances of these three factors ...
... largely determine the content of model activities. Take a group composed mainly by primary four to five grade students as an example, it has a little funds, material and tools；It has no fixed studio；The tutors have not previously studied systematically aviation models but young, enthusiasm and willing to learn. In this case, you can still carry out model activities selecting paper model aircraft as the content.

Teachers should learn firstly how to make paper model aircraft. Then they should make some models personally and adjust them repeatedly to make them fly better. And then they may buy any drawing paper using the money. Printed the model’s pattern on it using a mimeograph. Every member is required to bring a pair of scissors during the activity. The teachers should prepare some paper clips and several vials of latex. If various work had been fully prepared, every member can learn to make a paper model aircraft within two hours and master preliminary method of adjustment.

The second activity may organize students to race and then teach them to make another kind of paper model. This time you should on purpose make each team member complete the production independently as far as possible and combining with the problems found by them own during testing think of the ways of adjustment. The counselors, in the third activity, may give some explanation according to typical problems found in the former production and competition and properly introduce some flight knowledge to inspire and guid everyone to make analysis for their own models. Make them to find ways to improve the flight performance to achieve better results in next competition.

Special attention should be paid to team members that had put forward creative suggestions after independent thinking. Thus it can make them set up full of self-confidence and put forward new ideas continuously. In the course of time, every member can be guided into the way that is good at studying. Of course, we should actively create material conditions and improve the technical level of counselors to make the model activities develop in depth.

2. Several forms of organization model aviation activities

In order to meet the needs of different conditions of aviation model enthusiasts, model aviation activities should reflect flexibility and diversity in form of organization. Thus more teenagers will be attracted to participate in this activity.
(1) classes or teams of aviation models
Which generally organized by children’s palace, children’s home and other extramural education authorities or sports authorities. It has a perfect plan and specific training goal equipped with one or some professional counselors. It also have a fixed studio and more funds, equipment. This approach is mainly aimed at people who have a certain foundation to provide them with regular training condition and scientific environment. All these are advantageous to their further study and researching and create good results.　
(2) Aviation model group
Which mainly organized by middle and primary school. It also have plans and requirements of activities equipped with one to two part-time instructors and dedicated studio and a small amount of funds and equipment. This kind of activities focus on popularization aiming at the beginners which generally make simple model planes and primary model planes.
(3) Spontaneous model groups
There are many aviation model amateurs no chance to participate in the formal model organizations, so they get together spontaneously to do some simple model activities such as purchase of equipment with saved pocket money, establish humble studio at home, talk to each other or ask teachers for help or check the relevant books from where to find the answer when encountered a problem during activities. Their activities are not normal and have no plan but can insist for a long time because of interest. Once coached or helped they will make a spurt of progress to improve.
(4) Semi autonomous aviation model association and research association.
Junior or higher level school students can be organized by instructors to do some simple and fast effective model activities such as observation and mini competition and held seminars or discussion meeting. The content of the activity decide by the members themselves. This approach has the advantage for exercising students' abilities to work independently and organize.

In addition, we can organize interrupted aviation model activities. In some areas and schools, aviation model activity is a kind of seasonal activities just like skating and swimming. If we do further propaganda, guidance and promoting, a traditional aviation model activity will form gradually. The aero model contest often held in the fall is just a traditional activity in China formed during many years.