Aviation High School Course - Sheboygan County

04/29/2013

***Class Snippets!***
Subject: Airspace
Topic: Airports with Air Traffic Control Towers

In recent news, up to 149 air traffic control towers could be closed around the country. Wisconsin towered airports which may be included are in Mosinee, Eau Claire, Kenosha, Janesville, La Crosse, Milwaukee (Lawrence J. Timmerman), Oshkosh, & Waukesha.

Each of these airports are referred to as Class Delta (or "D") airports. Class D airports are the smallest of the towered airports and generally have protected airspace around them which reaches to 2,500 feet above ground with a 5 mile radius. No pilot may enter these zones without the tower controller's approval.

Should the towers close on June 15, the airports will revert to non-towered status where pilots will make radio transmissions to each other rather than the tower. Airports such as Sheboygan County Memorial and Manitowoc are non-towered. In fact the state of Wisconsin has over 120 non-towered civil airports whereas the number of towered airports is closer to 10. Although pilots are fully capable of operating at non-towered airports, towers are always great for training and safety!

03/21/2013

Aviation Scholarships for Sheboygan County High School Students!!! Click for applications below.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/131564846/EAA-Chapter-766-Aviation-Scholarship-500

http://www.scribd.com/doc/131564853/Ernest-Groth-Aviation-Heritage-Center-of-Wisconsin-Scholarship-500

Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site.

02/26/2013

***Class Snippets!***
Subject: Airport Operations
Topic: Communications

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkSh9JEDv50&feature=youtu.be

It could be argued that one of the most important topics in modern-day aviation is effective communication when speaking over Air Traffic Control (ATC) radio frequencies. Pilots are trained to use very specific wording when communicating with ATC so that messages are as clear as possible. This language is derived from a Pilot/Controller glossary and is known as standard phraseology.

In addition to standard phraseology, pilots and controllers use the phonetic alphabet to ensure that confusion does not occur when speaking individual letters. At airports, taxiways are given letter designations which are used to provide pilots with directions when moving about the airport surface. If even one letter is communicated improperly, a pilot could turn the wrong direction at an airport and cause havoc with ground control. Therefore, a pilot might be instructed to "turn right on Alpha" rather than "turn right on A".

Listen to the attached recording (YouTube video link) which took place at JFK airport where pilots and the ground controller became confused about the proper order and position of aircraft due to a communication error.

02/12/2013

***Class Snippets!***
Subject: Flight Controls
Topic: Wing Flaps

Flaps are devices which are typically installed on the inboard trailing-edges of an aircraft's wings. Flaps are highly effective at boosting a wing's ability to produce lift and at the same time additional drag which helps to slow the aircraft down.

The "camber" (or curvature) of the wings surface is increased by the extension of the flaps and is directly responsible for the increase in lift. The increase in drag is fairly intuitive, resulting from moving a flatter surface into the airstream moving about the wing.

Pictured here are "Fowler Flaps" which are normally found on larger aircraft such as airliners. Fowler flaps not only extend the wing's trailing edge downward but also move outward when the pilot actuates the flap lever. Because these types of flaps extend outward they create more wing surface area giving an added bonus to the lift capability of the wings.

Flaps are most often used on landing when an aircraft needs to produce an adequate amount of lift while operating at slower airspeeds. If you get a window seat near the wings on your next airline flight, look for the flap extension when your pilot's are preparing for landing!

02/04/2013

02/04/2013

***Class Snippets!*** A look at what we are learning.
Subject: Aerodynamics
Topic: Lift Creation

In the 18th century, Daniel Bernoulli (a Swiss Mathematician) described a principle governed by the Conservation of Energy relating to the flow of fluids. He found that if a fluid's velocity increases, its pressure will decrease. The picture shows how this principle would be measured in a closed fluid system.
In aviation, we use this principle to describe one way in which the wing produces lift. The velocity of the airflow above a wing is greater than that which is below the wing. Because this is true, we see a decrease in the pressure just above the wing's surface and the wing is therefore pulled toward that low pressure which is one explanation for the production of lift.

01/29/2013

The start of a new semester. Students are always amazed to learn how an airplane flies!

01/11/2013

Experience the Full-Motion Flight Simulator!

01/11/2013

Front Entrance - Hard to Miss!
N6191 Resource Drive
Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085

01/03/2013