One of the questions studied by Physics students at Echuca College is “Why do heavy things fly?” In order to enhance their understanding of this topic, our students are given the opportunity to fly an aircraft under instruction. This year eight students took up the challenge.
Sitting in the pilot seat, alongside their instructor (a commercial pilot), our students were able to gain hands-on experience of how the controls and controls surfaces are used to manoeuvre an aircraft. In addition, they gained a practical understanding of the way in which aircraft gain lift and are stabilized during flight. Finally, the students were able to experience zero G (apparent weightlessness) and 2G (twice the force of gravity).
