Science Rendezvous

Yesterday, my grandson Nickolas and I were at the Northumberland Mall in Colbourg, ON as part of the "Malls of Science" for "Science Rendezvous." We used balsawood gliders provided by the Canadian Airforce. On these gliders, using pre-cut 110 lb. card stock, we showed the children to place the ailerons toward the end of the main wing, the elevators mounted on the back of the horizontal stabilizer and closer to near the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder placed at the mid-point of the vertical stabilizer. We taught them roll, pitch and yaw, respectively. We also taught the children who were visiting the mall accompanied by their parents how to make balloon-powered hovercrafts. My grandson learned why I get such joy doing these workshops. He watched the children's eyes open wide when that "WOW" moment occurred. Nick was hooked. He wants to go with me again.

On June 9th, I'll be at at the Oshawa Airport in the terminal building teaching control surfaces on balsawood gliders and we'll have the students also make the balloon hovercrafts.

Science Is Fun

I just love giving science workshops. Each class of students is unique.

This past week was just a blast. On Monday, April 30th I was in Penetanguishene doing a Structures workshop aptly named: "May the Force Be With You." The round trip to the school and home was 299 km. On Tues and Wednesday I did two more workshops on structures. The students do build amazing structures. On Thursday and Friday I was a little closer to home and did two astronomy workshops. Grade 6 students are facinated with anything to do with outer space. What made these two workshops unique was the fact that several students asked for my autograph. It kinda makes you feel important, but more importantly, its a real joy to inspire so many students about the wonders of space.

Science is fun.

Pigeons in Flight

When scientists do experiments in the laboratory, they use rats. If they want to study flight, they use pigeons. The following video clearly explains how pigeons make sharp turns at low speeds. It is an amazing video of flight. embed allowfullscreen="true" height="334" width="560" src="http://www.sciencefriday.com/embed/video/10417.swf" /

Structures 3

I have taken on a new unit with Scientists in School (www.scientistsinschool.ca)called "Structures 3." It is a unit on Structures for Grade 3 students. We discuss tension and compression on structures. We look at natural and man-made structures. We look at columns used by the ancient Romans and Greeks because they support a lot of weight and we look at triangles used by the ancient Egyptians because they add strength to a structure. We talk about guy-wires, rebars, struts, suspensions, arches and keystones,buttresses and stability plus a plethora of new terms that these students, through our step-by-step workshop strategy, get. They do get it. At the end, we do a culminating activity where they have to make a bridge that must support a load and upon which a toy car can travel. I did my Trial presentation on December 21, 2011 for Structures 3 at my grandchildren's school. Scientists in School assigns you a mentor and the mentor invites you to observe her/him do the presentation three times. You get your own kit organized and you do a trial presentation at no charge to the school. Following the trial, all presentations are paid presentations. I am starting my 11th year with Scientists in School and this unit is the fifth one for which I have trained. I started with "Celestial Sleuths" (astronomy) for Grade 6 students in September, 2001; started "Air and Flight" for Grade 6 students in January, 2002; did "Fluid Power" (hydraulics and pneumatics) for Grade 8 students 2003-2009; started "May the Force Be With You" (forces and structures) for Grade 5 students in May, 2010; and now "Structures 3." I would heartedly recommend that if you have a science background and love children that you forward your resume to ecoscientistsinschool.ca and explore the possibilities of joining our team of presenters. What a great adventure I am having with Scientists in School. I am having as much fun now as when I first started.

AVRO Arrow

The Arrow was a truly Canadian product by Canadians for Canada. The Arrow and the Iroquois programmes were a pinnacle of Canadian aviation achievement, the like of which we may never see again. It was a time when the eyes of the aviation world were on Canada.


The very first Avro Arrow, RL201, rolled off the assembly line on October 4, 1957 and on March 25, 1958, the Arrow's test pilot Jan Żurakowski taxied RL201 to the foot of Malton Airport runway 32, was given takeoff clearance and got that magnificent aircraft airborne for the very first time.

Jan returned to the airfield twenty five minutes later after a completely problem-free flight to the cheers of all of the AVRO employees who had been given time off to witness this wonderful event.

The design, construction and development of the Arrow and Iroquois products was the Canadian equivalent to putting a man on the Moon.


The tragedy is that although we demonstrated success, we were never able to reap the benefits.

See http://www.ahfc.org/ for more detail.
 
The Arrow, and many other vintage aircraft are to be replaced by 4 hockey rinks. Ontario doesn't need another hockey rink. See what the rinks will be replacing at http://youtu.be/obXKrx7DEJQ
 
Join the Canadian Air and Space Museum and help us to save it for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

Canadian Air and Space Museum

I was deeply saddened to learn that Parc Downsview Park (PDP) had changed the locks and literally evicted the volunteers of the Canadian Air and Space Museum (CASM) from its premises. The volunteers without warning were forced to move the artefacts and materials unceremoniously into the street. The full-sized metal Avro Arrow replica was pushed into the parking lot along with other vintage aircraft.

The Toronto City Council unanimouly passed a resolution to keep the Museum opened and has appealed to the federal government to intervene.

I was at the museum just last year teaching children how to make balsawood gliders as part of the museum's outreach program. In 2009 while visiting the museum, I stood proudly underneath the AVRO Arrow and had my picture taken by one of the volunteers. I spoke with a gentleman who had flown in a Lancaster like the one being rebuilt at the museum. This man was just one of thousands who served our country during World War II and who, by his service and courage, bought us the freedom that we as citizens of Canada enjoy today.

The CASM educates thousands of children and adults alike about Canada's aircraft and aerospace industry.

I heard that PDP wants to build skating rinks. Downsview has lots of land for this purpose without closing the museum. For media coverage of the closing on September 20, 2011, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbVYh73-QOQ&feature=youtu.be

For details from CASM's perspective see http://casmuseum.org/

Please contact your MPP and MP to save the Canadian Air and Space Museum.

At a Loss for Words

I spent the morning and part of the afternoon on the first day of school at Capt. Michael  VandenBos School in Whitby, ON as a tribute to a fine, young Snowbird pilot. Capt. Michael J. VandenBos died in a training accident is Saskatchewan on December 8, 2010. The school that bears his name opened in September, 2001.

I entered the school at about 10:30 am, showed my press card to the secretary and asked her for a press kit. She referred me to the Principal, Ms. Karin Schmidlechner who said the only detailed info she had regarding a press kit was the article I wrote (Elements, June, 2010). I smiled.

Principal Schmidlechner directed me to the Staff Room and told me to look for Marc Velasco, Communications officer dressed in red. When Marc came in I introduced myself and I was amazed that he recognized my name. With Marc was Jacquie Perrin of the CBC. What a multi-talented woman she is. She shared her pilot’s log book with Mark and me and the two Snowbird Safety Officers, Capt. Dan Rossi and Capt. Robert Gagnon. Jacquie explained the different planes she has flown and also explained her flights on the Concord. Exciting stuff.

The three snowbirds left to go about their various duties and visits in the school when this woman approached me and asked who I was. I had planned to wear my Scientists in School I.D. and put my Press Card in the other side, but I had a senior moment when I left the house Tuesday morning and left it in my briefcase. The woman had a bit of a smile on her face, so I quipped: “I’m just here to fix the pipes.” She said: “You are not wearing any I.D.” I told her who I was and praised her for questioning me. One does not go about a school without first checking into the office and secondly without wearing I.D. I told her I was a retired educator and appreciated her query. She introduced herself as Vice-Principal Jane Krattiger. We both laughed.

The announcement came and the children were asked to go outside by division: Intermediate, Junior, Primary and take their positions on the pavement to form the letters CMV. “What a great idea”, I thought.

There was a assemblage of dignitaries, namely: Jasper VandenBos (Michael’s father), Chairman of the Durham District School Board, Superintendent of School Board, Director of School Board, Mayor of Whitby, and the Snowbird CBC representative.

Captain Velasco pointed over the houses stating that any second now the Snowbirds would be coming from that direction. Sure enough, nine planes in a V-formation flew over at an altitude of only 500 feet with me waving my arms and simultaneously becoming choked-up at the moment’s event. They made two more passes over the school much to the delight of excited children jumping up and down with their little Canadian flags waving. I felt such pride in being a Canadian. When I left to return to my car, I was at a loss for words when I observed the line of cars parked on both sides of the streets and the hundreds of people on the adjoining streets who came out to see the Snowbirds. What a tribute to Captain Michael VandenBos—the school and the man.

See http://2vandenbos.org/MVan.shtml  for my article on Capt. Michael J. VandenBos.