Education Technology

How Things Fly is an great site I just learned about from Larry Ferlazzo. It is an interactive site from the Smithsonian that explains flight in a variety of ways. Topics include forces of flight, gravity and air propulsion, aerodynamics, structures and materials and flight dynamics.

Students can design and fly their own virtual airplane and there are hands on experiments to do.

This is a great resource for teaching physics and physical science, as well as about flight. Students love airplanes and flight, so this is a good way to get them interested in science.


Related:

Microsoft Flight Simulator now Free! Great STEM ResourcesOrbiter Space Flight Simulator - free for Windows computersCentury of Flight - History of Aviation

Microsoft Flight Simulator is now available for free. The free version includes tutorials, online and offline play, aircraft, missions on Hawaii. You can pay to get more aircraft, missions, scenery, and other content.

The tutorials are great and it is easy to get started.


I took pilot lessons in college (almost got license too and then instructor graduated. Will try again soon!) and Flight Simulator was a great way to practice and train.

This is a great resource to have students explore the science of flight and aircraft while having fun.

Aerodynamics, Forces and Newton's Laws, Lift, Drag/Friction, Thrust, Controls.