AvKids.com Speakers Kit – Outline

1. Introduction

Loosen up the audience and determine how detailed you should make your presentation by asking some basic questions.

• Who has seen an airplane in person?
• Who has been to an airport?
• Who has flown on an airline?
• Who has flown on a general aviation airplane?
• Do you know who invented the first airplane?
  (Answer: Orville and Wilbur Wright. 2003 is the 100th anniversary of their first flight. They flew 120 feet in 12 seconds in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. That's about the distance of [your hallway, you gym, or some other reference they can identify with].)
• Do you know who Charles Lindbergh is?
  (Answer: 75 years ago, he flew from New York to Paris alone. He flew 3,610 miles and it took him 33 hours and 30 minutes. How long do you think it now takes to fly to Paris?)

2. What is an Aircraft?

Using models or pictures of an airplane, helicopter and balloon (dirigible or hot air), ask which ones are aircraft. Of course, the correct answer is all of them. Point out the unique features and attributes of each type of aircraft, beginning with an airplane.

3. Parts of an Airplane

Quiz students using a model airplane or a large photo. Ask them to identify the:

• Main parts of an airplane from nose to tail— fuselage (including cockpit and cabin), wing, engines (including prop or rotor), empennage.
• Other parts of an airplane—landing gear, wing parts (ailerons, flaps, etc.), tail parts (rudder, horizontal and vertical stabilizers), avionics (navigation and communication equipment), hydraulics and other systems

Download a handout depicting the main parts of an aircraft from the AvKids Activity Guide and Teacher’s Resource: PDF, 36 KB

4. Parts of a Helicopter (optional, depending on audience sophistication level).

Discuss main and tail rotor and how vertical flight can take place without an airport.

5. Basic Principles of Flight and the Airport & Airways System

Explain how an airplane is able to fly by taking them through the steps needed to become airborne, from preflight inspection to engine start, checklist, taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, approach and landing. Adjust detail to age level and sophistication of students in the audience.

• Aerodynamic essentials—lift, drag, etc.
• Airport operations—runway, taxiway, hangar, control tower, windsock
• Air traffic control principles—ground, departure, approach control and enroute tracking of aircraft.
• Advanced concepts—If the audience can handle advanced concepts, discuss basic meteorology and VFR/IFR flight plans.

Download the Forces of Flight lesson from the AvKids Activity Guide and Teacher’s Resource: PDF, 328 KB

6. Types of Aircraft Operations

• Airlines—Ask who has flown on an airline? Have kids share their experiences, describing how they went to the airport, boarded the airplane, took off, what they did enroute, how they deplaned, etc. Explain that these are scheduled passenger operations available to anyone who wants to buy a ticket.
• Define the three basic types of aviation operations—Explain that scheduled passenger airline flights are just one way in which aircraft are used. The other two major categories are military aviation and general aviation (GA), which includes everything from business aviation to cargo, utility and agricultural operations. Cargo airlines and overnight package delivery services such as Federal Express use aircraft to deliver a variety of perishable and time-sensitive goods, from fresh fruit and flowers to birthday presents.
• Business Aviation—Talk about how companies that require air transportation that is faster, more flexible and efficient than airlines use business aircraft to meet their travel needs. Discuss various forms of business aviation, from owner-flown, light, single-engine airplanes (doctors, lawyers and salesman) to multi-aircraft fleets of corporate jets. Many business aircraft are outfitted with telephones, fax machines, VCRs and other audio-visual equipment that make these airplanes "offices in the sky." Note that aircraft can be owned (full, fractional, joint, etc.), managed or simply chartered.
• Light General Aviation (pleasure/personal flying)—Describe how people use airplanes for personal transportation and recreation. Mention fly-ins, air racing, etc.

7. How to Become a Pilot

• Take an introductory flight at local airport FBO (explain what an FBO is—a service station for airplanes, just as a gas station serves and supports cars.)
• Discuss how to obtain private pilot’s license—regulatory requirements, cost, time, working with a flight instructor, etc.
• Detail the career options for corporate and commercial pilots, including an overview of various piloting experience (hours), qualifications (ratings and time in type) and other education/training needed to be a professional pilot.

There are many other jobs availble in business aviation. Explain pilot, co-pilot, flight attendant, maintenance technician, scheduler/dispatcher, air traffic controller and others.

8. For more information on aircraft, flying and how to become a pilot, contact:

• Avkids.com—which includes:
  • AvKids.com LitBase -- a list of books for different grade levels located in the Teacher’s Lounge section
  • Art Gallery -- aviation artwork by kids
  • Aviation Community -- links to other aviation-related Web sites
• Other Web sites that offer information about becoming a pilot—youngeagles.org, beapilot.com and aopa.org/learntofly.
• Organizations—NBAA, GAMA, AOPA, EAA, etc. (Look for other organization in the AvKids.com Community section.)

9. Conclusion - Q & A

Field questions and offer to take class on a tour of your airplane, airport or flight department. NBAA can provide, at cost, items—such as pencils, lapel buttons, etc.—that you might want to distribute to the groups you speak to.