6 April 2009
Thank you so much for all of the helpful links.�I found
great information and photos to use along with my model
for my project.�The town Science Fair was on April 4. It
was divided into grade levels and�I won first place for
5th grade.�It was my first entry into a
science fair and I am looking forward to next year.�
Thank you again for your help.
19 February 2009
I am a 5th grader at the Chapman Middle School in�
Massachusetts.�I am doing a Science Fair project on
Hovercraft - how they work, the many types and uses, and
building a�working model.�I wanted�to know if you have a�
promotional catalog and/or dvd you could send me to use
in my presentation.�Thank you for any help you can give�
me.
Jason Gilbert
Chapman Middle School
Weymouth, Massachusetts USA
This experience has been very valuable to my education.
To be honest, school hadn't really interested me until
the start of year 10, but building the DiscoverHover
One gave my interest for school a real boost. I'm a
year 11 student and worked on the Wantirna College Technology
Club's hovercraft project year 10. Now that our first
craft has been constructed and so many new people have
joined the project, I have been appointed Team Leader.
 |
| Tom Burridge (left)
and Wantirna College Tech Club members set the
rudders on the thrust duct of their DiscoverHover
One. |
The DiscoverHover project really was more of an experience
than a project and can't be compared to any other
project I've been involved in. In our school's technology
subjects our projects have been limited to little
electronic and motorized devices. This project, however,
was very different. First and foremost was the fact
that we are building life-sized hovercraft with real
engines that we can actually pilot. It's a REAL project
and is very exciting to be involved in.
I quite enjoyed the later stages of construction
where we could see the project taking shape and really
believe in what we were doing. We had a special morning
on the school oval where we were given the opportunity
to have a first drive. Many of us agree that it was
the best thing we have done in recent years. I have
never had so much fun!
|
| Wantirna College's
DiscoverHover One nears completion. |
We had a lot of interested sponsors provide us with
money and parts, so this is a project that would be
feasible for most schools. We're building a new craft
before I finish year 12. I plan to join the Hoverclub
of Victoria, and I'm definitely interested in racing
hovercraft. Later this year we will have opportunities
to race other schools in our region, but I would love
to race on a broader sale. International racing will
be a cool thing to do, and will really show how well
the program worked for Wantirna College.
The DiscoverHover project has been by
far the highlight of my time at secondary school and
I'm looking forward to further adventures with the
program.
Tom Burridge
Wantirna College
Wantirna
Victoria, Australia
To learn more about the Wantirna College DiscoverHover
program, see Featured Schools: Wantirna College and
Comments
from Educators
Building the hovercraft last year in Mike Naughton's
Tech II class at Cary-Grove High School was an unforgettable
experience. I learned so much about the physics involved,
and how to tie that into building the actual hovercraft.
And I experienced blueprint reading, fiberglassing,
problem solving, teamwork and leadership skills.
 |
| Ryan Marsel with Mr. Ragan
on Crystal Lake for the maiden voyage of last
year's hovercraft. |
I also had my first experience with the business
world when raising funds for the craft. I gave a presentation
to the President, Ron Ragan, and the Vice President
of Genesis Medical Imaging, Inc. in Huntley, IL. They
loved the idea and donated $1000 to the project, so
we owe them a lot of credit.
Building the craft gave me opportunities that many
students couldn't dream of. All of these helped me
to enroll in the number one Aerospace Engineering
school in the world. I'm attending Embry Riddle Aeronautical
University in Daytona Beach, FL, as an Aerospace Engineering
major. Taking Mr. Naughton's Technology Education
classes helped open my mind to this field. The students
here think my high school hovercraft project is awesome
and wish they could experience that.
In early May I will be heading home for summer break
and helping out at the high school whenever Mr. Naughton
is working on the two new hovercraft they're building
this year. I would love to see Cary-Grove become even
more involved with hovercraft; it feels great to be
able to say that I was a part of it. It will be great
if I am able to take my Aerospace Engineering degree
and work in the hovercraft field.
Ryan Marsel
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Daytona Beach, Florida USA
To learn more about Cary-Grove's hovercraft program,
see Featured
Schools: Cary-Grove and Comments
from Educators
|
