Pioneers of Aviation Presentation

At the end of 2012 I had given a presentation at the WinonaFriendship Center and Winona History Centered entitled, “The Pioneers of Aviation”.  My premise for the presentation was that most of the basic principles for full-scale aviation had been implemented first in model aircraft. To back up my presentation I had not only posters with pictures of the early aviators and aircraft but also brought model aircraft for not only display but also to fly in front of and over the participants of the lecture.

Model Helicopter That Inspired the Wright Brothers

 

Model of Planophore First Rubber Powered Airplane

 

Not only did I want to present that principles from model aircraft were important to full-scale aviation but also were an important inspiration. For example the toy helicopter that the Wright Brothers had received for Christmas in their childhood inspired them to experiment with flight. The basic design for the helicopter model was based on a model created by Alphonse Penaud who had created the first successful rubber powered airplane back in 1871 known as the “Planophore” which I had a balsa model of.  Penaud had discovered some important aerodynamic principles with his models that would be part of the success for full-scale flight.

Rubber Powered Ornithopter in Flight

Flying RC Dragonfly at History Center

RC Dragonfly Flying Outside

Quadcopter I Flew

In my demonstration I flew a plastic model of the helicopter toy the Wright Brothers had as a toy and also I flew a small remote control quadcopter to show how propeller on flight has evolved over the years. To demonstrate the idea of flapping flight that was thought of by many early inventors such as Leonardo Da Vinci I flew a rubber powered “ornithopter” and also a radio controlled dragonfly.

 

Posters - Winona Friendship Center

Wright Flyer and Spirit of St. Louis Models in Car

 

It appeared to me that the presentation went pretty well with the combination of printed visuals, static models, and flying models at the presentation.  I know I had fun and hope to do more of this type of presentation.

Winona Post Notice of the Presentation


Bill Kuhl
http://www.scienceguy.org