Into the air like a bird! Mythology tells us the story of Icarus who dreamed of flying like a bird. NEXT.cc is working on an aeronautics journey to stimulate interest in engineering and sustainable forms of travel. Check back soon!
Activity 1 – Travel in the air
Activity 2 – Distance
Activity 3 – Speed
Activity 4 – Comfort
What brings comfort on a flight? Today’s airlines are addressing need for good food, entertainment, shopping and physical comfort on flights. In addition to the safety and assurance of a smooth take off, cruise elevation and landing, the traveling public is looking for the comfort of staying connected while flying, being entertained and dined while flying, and finally being able to be comfortable while flying. Each of these issues need studying with changing demographics taking to the skies. Who is flying when is important. Are customers tourists? Are they families with small children on vacation? Are they individuals in distress going urgently to connect with loved one in time of need? Are they business travelers? Are they full time employees seeking leisure and recreation and adventure? These diverse groups demand individual survey study to best understand how to deliver an optimized experience for airline travel. The airline companies conduct research to deliver a comfortable experience for each of these disparate groups. How can you help? Study seating statistics for different airline companies. Study demographics of populations flying. Study seating capacity of different plane types. Interview people who fly in the different categories. Try to understand what is good about airline travel and what needs to be improved. Come up with an idea to improve airline travel Do you want to introduce individual wirless and gaming? Do you want to expand the range of snacks, beverages and food offered on panes? Do you want to allow for office work to be conducted and for passengers to sleep reclining on long flights? Brainstorm ideas and develop one of them that will improve air travel.
Activity 5 – Convenience
Review
Explore
- BOOM Supersonic XB-1
- Ergonomics, Henry Dreyfus, PDF
- History of Aircraft Flip Book
- Infographic of Sci Fi Spaceships
- Mythological History of Flight
- NASA Aeronautics
- NASA Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics
- NASA How do Airplanes Fly?
- NASA Solar Powered Aircraft
- Solar Impulse
- The Boeing Company
- Up, Up and Away! Airplanes
- Videos MIT aeronautics & Astronautics
- Video The Sonic Boom Problem