Glider's Design Competition part 3

Today is the day for the Glider's competition. Before the competition starts, we did some modifications to it. We added more weight at the nose of the glider. Then we throw a few more times to make sure our glider is at its best. 

This is our Glider (Final)

And the individual parts of the glider

This is the main body of the glider. The extra weight is already attach to the nose of the glider.

There are 2 event for the competition. First is to compete which the precision landing of the glider, which is to see the distance of the landing spot of the glider and from the target. The nearer the glider is from the target, the more points the team will be awarded. And is based on the average distance from 3 throws. For this segment, our team win second place. We managed to get a good start during the first throw, but for the second and third throw, the results are good but not good as the first throw. 

The other event for the competition is to compete how far the glider can travel before landing/crashing. Again the result is based on the average of 3 throws. Our team again win second place. We again manage to get a good start, with the highest record among all the throws. We also do pretty well for the 2nd and 3rd throw, but just not good as the first throw.  

Glider's Design Competition part 2

During the whole of week 15, we were experimenting on propellers, to see whether propellers will actually help our glider to glide further. 

The material for the propeller : 

1. Recycled paper clips
2. Scotch tapes

Since all the above materials are found common in house, so the cost for this part is totally free. 

We attach the propeller to the tip of the glider. 

To attach the propeller to the tip of the glider, we first use those thumbtacks as a rotating support. Then we add a little blue-tacks  at the rotating support's tip. This is to prevent the propeller from flying out. 

After we attached to the glider, its time for us to have a test run. While during the test flight process, we realize that the glider does not glide as far and as well as the one before we attach the propeller. We were suspecting that the total combine weight of the propeller and the rotating axis cause the front of the glider to be heavy, and thus causing it to lose velocity when it glides in the air. We try different type of rotating axis, to find out which type does not affect the gliding process as much as possible. But we are not able to solve the problem. In the end, we just do it without the propeller.

Since gliders will smash into the walls from time to time, the head of the glider will be broken. In order to solve this problem, I added some simple supports to the nose of the glider. This is to help support the nose so as to prevent the nose to receive a lot of the impact. 

The enhance nose

I tried to fly it, but it will do stunts instead. Then we add some blue-tack to the nose. This is to balance out the weight, and to give it more glide. After we added, the glider glides very smoothly. Also, we realize that the speed of the glider increase once we add the nose support. 

The material used for the nose support

1. Remaining foam board.

For this, I used double sided tape, to attach the nose support to the nose of the glider. With the nose support, it does really help to absorb the impact, and also to prevent the nose from breaking.