USNA News Center
Flight Day 2023
POSTED ON: Saturday, April 15, 2023 12:00 AM by Kristine Endy
On Saturday, April 15, 2023, the U.S. Naval Academy STEM Center for Education and Outreach held its inaugural Flight Day. Sixty students from across the country investigated the principles of flight by exploring rockets, gliders, and rotorcraft. Three USNA faculty members, LCDR Diallo Wallace, Professor Scott Davids, and Professor Greg Eggleston, led the sessions which included an introduction to flight theory and hands-on applications. Students designed and launched foam rockets, rotors, and advanced paper airplanes. They applied the principles of center of gravity, center of pressure, propulsion, thrust, and lift to their designs. Students engaged in discussions on aeronautical engineering applications and career opportunities, which included a tour of the Academy’s aeronautical testing laboratory. The day’s activities were supported by USNA Midshipmen, U.S. Navy Reservists, and STEM Center staff. The USNA STEM Center plans to hold a second Flight Day in the fall of 2023 based upon the high demand and positive response for this program, which is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research with generous support from the Naval Academy Foundation and Dr. Ernst Volgenau.Category: General Interest