Story

Bill Kuhl: Sharing the Right Stuff

Slater Harrison
The article was in the May 2018 issue of Model Aviation

The greatest compliment comes from a person who takes the time to say that you made a difference in their life. Bill Kuhl’s (pronounced “cool”) website has helped many a young person and teacher get started with flying models. And he has mentored many people individually online as well. Check out this article about a young person whom Bill advised for a Science Olympiad project when she was in middle school with no flight experience. Now she is a student at Virginia Tech and starting a summer internship at Boeing!

Square Wheels!

Slater Harrison

The Exploratorium’s square wheels that roll smoothly are amazing! And now middle school science teacher Doug Stith has developed the concept even more. Would triangles work? Can we make the axle from a laser pen and record the movement on phosphorescent paper? What roller would work on triangular steps? Doug always has the integrity to give a shout-out to the people who started the idea, then he takes it in really interesting new directions.

Putt-Putt Boat with a Single Pipe

Slater Harrison

Almost all putt putt boats have 2 outlet pipes, but Rob of Brisbane Australia found a rare, single pipe design. I wondered if filling the boiler could be a problem, but Rob wrote,

“I fill the boiler by inserting a length of small diameter nylex tubing down inside the outlet tube, and then run water into the metal tube. The inner nylex then acts as an air release bleeder tube and the boiler fills up. The first expulsions of water and steam seem to push out whatever is excess, and the remainder commences to pulse in the usual Put-put manner. “

Rob replaced the missing cabin and repaired the leaky boiler. We would both like to know more about singe-pipe pop pops!
More about putt putt boats

The WonderWing Flies Again!

Slater Harrison

In 1980’s Gordon Pollock–who was a hang gliding instructor–developed the WonderWing walkalong glider made from balsa and thin film. I asked Gordon if he could demonstrate how they flew. He dug up some gliders and sent this video. The WonderWing flies again!

Here is Gordon with an improved wind generator (the cardboard amplifier). Look how high off the board that glider is flying!

More about Gordon Pollock

More about walkalong gliders

Walkalong Gliding in Indonesia

Slater Harrison

 

Mr. Achmad Djafrulah in Indonesia, used to be a sailplane pilot and hang glider pilot when he was younger. I think his pilot experience helped with this outdoor flying, which is more difficult than flying through very still air, inside. Achmad said that he would be teaching a group of 15 kids to fly. I wish him the best and hope to see more pictures and video eventually. Thank you for spreading walkalong gliders in Indonesia!

Pictures of Achmad’s walkalong gliders are here.
More about walkalong gliders: sciencetoymaker.org/airsurf/