Science Story > Flight > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Making a glider

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Making a glider

Activity idea
In this activity, students handcraft a glider from balsa wood. In the process, they learn about
aerofoil wing shape, glider parts and terminology. They experiment with flight using variables
of wind and nose weight.
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
understand what an aerofoil is
use and understand vocabulary such as wing, tailplane, fuselage, aerofoil, fin
have some understanding of the parts of a plane and how they are needed for flight
have some understanding of the effect of weight and the angle of attack on flight.
Introduction/background notes
hat you need
hat to do
!lider instructions
Introduction/background
The student activity "erofoils and paper planes is a good precursor to this activity because it
explores the aerofoil shape of the wings. #ead ings and lift to help understand angle of
attack and the Bernoulli principle when exploring what gives the glider lift for flight.
In this activity, students make a balsa wood glider using instructions and a template. This is a
small$si%ed glider. It flies well, but needs to be carefully constructed using the right e&uipment
and materials. "ccuracy is important.
'ave students experiment with flying by ad(usting the weight and throwing the glider into the
wind slightly nose down.
!at you need
)harp craft knife
*ardboard +optional,
-ine sandpaper
*raft glue . superglue or white /0" glue
1odelling clay or plasticine
#uler
2.3 mm balsa wood
4 mm and 3 mm balsa wood +can be
purchased from many model and craft
shops,
*opies of the !lider instructions
*opies of the !lider template +this is a
separate /5- file,
!at to do
2. !ive out copies of !lider instructions and !lider template and have students build and fly a
glider.
6. 5iscuss the results.
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Science Story > Flight > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Making a glider
"lider in#truction#
2. :sing the glider template, cut out the parts. +;ne
option is to trace the template onto cardboard,
cut out the cardboard glider parts and use them
to trace onto the balsa wood. The cardboard
glider parts can be reused., <eep 2 mm outside
the lines on the balsa wood.
Ti$:
:se the knife like a pen but don=t use (ust the tip .
lay the knife down a little so you use more of the
blade. Take care when cutting across the grain.
6. )andpaper the parts to the line.
4. #ound off all the edges except where the glue will
be.
>. )and the wing to an aerofoil shape:
The leading edge should be rounded off but
still be about 4 mm thick.
The trailing edge should be formed by
tapering the last &uarter of the wing to about
2 mm at the edge.
This takes time and careful sandpapering, but it=s
worth it.
3. *arefully cut the wing in half.
?. )and the cut edges on an angle so that they fit
snugly together when (oined, forming a dihedral
angle.
9. 1ake the dihedral angle by gluing together with
one wing flat and the tip of the other raised ? cm.
Ti$:
hite /0" or superglue +cyanoacrylate, medium
thickness, are good glues to use. /ins can be used to
hold pieces in place while glue is drying.
@. !lue the fin to the top of the fuselage. +1ake sure
it is vertical.,
A. !lue the tailplane to the bottom of the fuselage.
+1ake sure it is hori%ontal . fin and tailplane
should be at right angles to each other.,
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Science Story > Flight > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Making a glider
28. hen the wing is dry, sand the (oin so that it will
sit flat on the fuselage. !lue on to the fuselage .
make sure the wings are the same on both sides.
22. )often the weight +modelling clay, in your fingers.
/lace enough onto the front of the model until it
balances +hangs hori%ontally, when supported by
the wingtips.
26. T!ro%ing t!e glider: 'old the plane by the
fuselage +under the wing position, and throw
directly into the wind, aiming at a spot about 28
metres in front of you, slightly nose up.
If the model dives, remove a little weight and
try again.
If the model drops tail then dives, add a little
more weight.
If the plane veers to one side, this may be
corrected by adding a little modelling clay to
one wing tip.
hen flying correctly, the model can be made to
turn by gently bending the fin +breathe on the fin
to soften it first,.
Ti$:
"lways throw directly into the windB
&'()t!er t!ing# to try:
"dd more or less modelling clay to the nose.
'ow does it affect the flightC
*an you make your plane fly in a circleC
1ake your plane without the aerofoil shape.
5oes this affect the flightC
Buy a rubber band wind$up propeller model.
*ompare powered flight with unpowered.
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