12 Scouts from three local Troops took flight with some help from 1400 horsepower fans and some nifty aerodynamic engineering. iFly Baltimore hosted an Up and Away NOVA field trip for these Scouts. They started with Randy, a retired missile flight engineer, explaining the history, design, and build process that produced the 5th generation vertical wind tunnel. After that talk, the group was split in two – Half went to their Preflight, and the others worked on building parachute delivery systems to deliver paperclips back to earth safely.
The flights are just one minute at a time, but it is the “longest minute ever,” according to several
Scouts. Flying in winds nearing hurricane force and assisted by a certified coach, Scouts (and some parents) learned how to stabilize in the air, turned left and right, and went on a “high-flight” approximately 30 feet above the floor.
Did you know that rain falls at approximately 21 miles per hour? Our Scouts tested it! They gave the instructor a pitcher full of water, and he could suspend it in the air column with help from the tunnel operator. They also tested how much wind it would take to pick up several objects off the net floor of the tunnel. A giant stuffed Pikachu was the first to float away, and a Nerf Football stayed grounded until 94 miles per hour.
These daredevils will spend time on their own watching or reading material about fluid dynamics and earning a STEM-focused merit badge. Once those activities are completed – They’ll be some of NCAC’s newest NOVA Award recipients.
Please feel free to contact STEM@ncacbsa.org if you have questions about the NOVA Award program. You can also reach out to iFly directly to schedule a similar event for your unit.
