OBJECTIVES: You will learn the differences between aircraft and spacecraft, especially propulsion systems. You will build a pinwheel airplane to discover how thrust is created on an airplane. STEPS TO FOLLOW: Review the information in the background section. To make the pinwheel airplane: print out the pinwheel airplane pattern. Trace the fuselage pattern onto the balsa wood. Trace the pinwheel pattern onto the plastic cover. Transfer the lines on the pinwheel pattern to the plastic cover. Using the craft knife, carefully cut out the airplane fuselage from the balsa wood. Look at the pinwheel pattern. Notice the dotted lines from the center of the cover to the rim. These are "scoring lines"; you will cut down but NOT ALL THE WAY through the cover on these lines. This will allow you to bend the plastic to make the pinwheel. Cut through the plastic on the solid red lines. Bend the plastic to make little fan-like blades. Make two holes in the center top of the pinwheel. Using the 1/16" drill bit, bore a hole through the front notch of the fuselage. You do not need a drill. The balsa wood is soft enough that you can position the drill bit and just keep turning it to make the hole. Bend the 1 3/4" wire so that it makes a hook and fits the holes on the pinwheel. Thread the washers onto the wire. Insert the wire through the pinwheel and then through the hole in the fuselage. Bend the wire into a hook on the opposite end.

MATERIALS: 1/4" Balsa Wood 1/16" Drill Bit Plastic Cover From a Margarine or Other Food Container Light Weight Fishing Line - (Should support 5 pounds) Safety Scissors Craft Knife 1/16" Wire 1 3/4" long 1/16" Wire 16" long Long Rubber Band - approximately 6 or 7 inches 5 washers - 1/16" thick; inner diameter 1/8", outer diameter 3/8" Wide Masking Tape Bend the other piece of wire as shown in the diagram. Using the masking tape, tape the wire to the top of the fuselage. (You can click on the picture below for a larger picture.) Stretch a 15' length of fishing line between two chairs or other secure objects. Tape the fishing wire into place. Hook the rubber band into the back notch of the fuselage. Pull the rubber band and attached it to the wire hook near the pinwheel. Turn the pinwheel, twisting the rubber band as tight as you can. (If you are facing the pinwheel, you will twist it counter-clockwise.) Hold the pinwheel and hang the pinwheel airplane on the fishing wire. Make sure that your hands and fingers are out of the way and LET GO! Watch it move down the fishing line. (Instead of a pinwheel, try a model rubberband airplane propeller. It will go much farther, since the propeller shape is more efficient than the pinwheel.)