All posts by Darcy

Squirrel-O-Meter! Measurement of Height using Tangent

August 5, 2012Education, GalleryDarcy

You can measure height of a model plane indirectly with two observers.

One observer who is measuring an angle and the second observer who is running right under the plane.

The one running under the plane simple stays under the plane until the other observer shouts out the angle of measurement. At that point the runner stops and the distance between the two observers is measured.

You can use the mathematical tangent to calculate the height indirectly.

The Squirrel-O-Meter can be used to measure the angle more accurately than an ordinary protractor. You can print it, cut it out and glue parts together.

You can use your Squirrel-O-Meter to measure other objects such as trees, buildings and perhaps even the height of a cloud!

Download Squirrel-O-Meter-Protractor

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Air flow

August 5, 2012EducationDarcy

I found this in my files and I can’t remember where I initially got it.

It looks like a simulation of a puff of air moving. I think it’s only in 2d but you can see how complex air movement can be.

Turbulence is actually important for smaller fliers like insects, seeds.

This also gives ideas for thermal formation.

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Canaries

August 4, 2012ExperimentalDon RossDarcy

I was organizing the lab and came across this odd looking bag of goodies. At face value I thought it was scrap balsa but upon closer examination it is some pre-cut Canarie model airplanes I made before my Squirrel days. What a cool find. The Canarie is designed by Don Ross. He has given me permission to kit this by the way.

There are about five or six of them in the bag! Anybody want to make them together?

Here are a few pictures of Canaries from this same batch!