Balsa Plane Kit - Investigate (Design Specification)

Aim
The aim of this assignment is to construct a simple model aeroplane kit for a year 8 student. This kit should be easy enough to be completed in a 75 minute period, it should include instructions for the student and the finished product should have the potential to be successful.

Criteria for Success 

• ensure the finished product will be able to carry out its purpose of flying at a good standard
• make the instructions easy and straight forward to follow
• make sure there are the correct materials in the kit with excess materials so there is room for error
• make the construction easy enough to be completed in the allotted time but also so it will be challenging

Design Specification

The Audience

The balsa plane kit will be created for a year 8 student to construct. The construction for the student has to be challenging enough for a rewarding experience but cannot be so difficult that it won't be completed.

Objective
This model aeroplane kit should teach year 8 students about construction and give them life skills for the future. The kit should be easy enough to be achievable but also stimulating. The finished product should contain everything needed for creating a simple plane.
Production
The materials in the kit should be inside some aesthetically pleasing packaging. The pieces of balsa wood, pencils, instructions and the template should all be provided in the kit. All of the components are pretty straight forward except for the packaging. For this, I will need some form of container which may have to be constructed out of wood if a plastic one is unavailable. I have 3 design lessons to complete this task
Usage
It will be given to a year 8 student for them to construct a balsa wood plane. From here, they will need to test their final product to see if it can fly successfully.

Creating a Balsa Wood Plane

Method

·         1. Choose a plane design on paper of the options provided

·         2. Cut out separate shapes from the plane design.

·         3. Collect two planks of balsa wood, one thin and one thick

·         4. Trace the cut out fuselage onto the thicker balsa wood

·         5. Trace the rest of the cut out plane parts onto the thinner balsa wood. Trace the wing twice

·         6. Using a scalpel, cut out all of the balsa plane parts. To ensure straight edges, use a ruler and then sandpaper as desired

·         7. Make an incision into the fuselage for the wings and another at the back of the body for the horizontal stabilizer

·         8. Angle the wings on a 3 inch slant and glue together

·         9. Glue the horizontal stabilizer into the back incision

·         10.Glue the vertical stabilizer onto the back of the body

·         11. Insert wings into the body and glue as required
       12. Add blu tack to the tip of the plane and decorate as desired 

 Precautions

·         1. Make sure you cut the balsa with a ruler to avoid cutting through a vital plane part

·         2. When gluing the plane together, make sure everything is exactly where you want it as it is difficult to take it apart once glued together

·         3. Don’t be too rough when sanding the pieces of balsa wood as this can lead to snapping them in half around weaker areas. 

The Finished Product - Balsa Wood Plane

My finalised plane design