Prior Programs
Aviation
The Elementary Flight Simulators were built by retired Boeing employees and donated to the Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation (DASEF) in 1994 and 1998. The primary goal of the program is to provide educators and their students with a quality, multi-disciplinary program for teaching and integrating the scientific process skills, careers, history of flight and transportation, engineering skills and the principles of flight. This will be achieved through the use of the elementary Flight Simulator and Hartel Trainer Program and the implementation of the accompanying curriculum materials.
The simulators give educators and their students a very real experience of an actual flight. As they move the control stick and use the rudder pedals, the simulator moves. It climbs, dives, rolls to either side, and yaws left and right, in response to the actions of the pilot.
The simulator has control surfaces, like a real plane, which move as different maneuvers are performed. There is a vacuum powered instrument panel. The students can see the effects of his or her control actions reflected in changes on this panel. Following the integrated, applied learning tasks and training sessions on the 10 Hartel Trainers, also supplied by DASEF, teams of students will be given time for a flight. The Aviation Program is supported by the Boeing Company, Delaware Space Grant Consortium and the Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation.
Launching a Dream – STS 917-D
Launching a Dream was an annual, statewide, program that ran for ____ consecutive years. The purpose of STS 917-D was to show that Aerospace Education is a highly motivating framework for integrating STEM education and teamwork into the current curriculum, as well as encourage career choices based more on these fundamentals.
Two large school buses were converted into “shuttles” in which two crews, comprised of students from two participating schools, simulated pre, post, and in-flight shuttle activities. For several weeks, students set up experiments and collected data, learned technical flight procedures, and Their operations on launch day include an exchange of data between these two crews from long term experiments including: plant growth and comparison, animal behavior, water and soil testing, crystal growth, communication, and navigation skills.
Rockets for Delaware
DASEF, in conjunction with various state agencies, sponsored Delaware’s Rockets for Delaware in Cape Henlopen State Park. Students and youth groups designed and constructed Rockets which were launched all throughout the day. The outdoor/tent event, featured displays, field amateurs and experts assisting in activities, and the launching of several different types of rockets. There were challenges and competitions held for varying age groups to construct a rocket, paint or add decals it, and then to successfully launch it. Some years, an official rocket team from Florida would travel to Cape Henlopen and launch a sub orbital rocket.