Blog

As a student I loved creating and making, the design process, and seeing my projects go for the first time. I was drawn to the woodshop, boats, aviation, and the precision of engineering drawings. Learning how radio-controlled cars worked and seeing R/C Airplanes fly reinforced my appreciation for art and where it intersects with technology and physics.

Teaching STEAM at Redlands Adventist Academy has allowed me to share my love of design and fun projects with my students. One exceptional project has been completed by the High School STEAM Class, a radio-controlled fire plane. Dennis Lieu, along with his friends, designed and built a flying scale model of a twin-engine firefighting bomber.

What started as computer images, sketches, and an idea gradually came to life. Students were able to use skills learned here in other classes such as 7th Grade Co2 Cars, 8th Grade Robotics, 9th Grade Coding, Geometry, and Physics to collaborate and make the plane a reality. Students created CAD drawings to laser-cut and 3D print parts.

Each person brought their expertise and talents to the project. Thomas Usery was in charge of the electronics and programming of the Radio Control System and Dennis networked with Dr. Roth from WWU for engineering advice along with a parent, Larry Karpenko for equations showing what batteries, speed controllers, and motors to use. Mr. Karpenko was the test pilot to fly the plane for the first time.

There is a special moment that happens when you test a project for the first time. As a teacher, I live for those moments. What makes them special is the hope that everything will go as planned. A rocket’s thrust and lift off, kids cheering for a safe landing and celebrating a successful mission. The count-down and power on display for the first Co2 Car race when students are surprised by the speed of their creations.

This summer we had the opportunity to fly the Fire Plane for the first time. We calculated the center of gravity, power needed, programmed the radio control system, charged up the batteries and headed for the flying field. As a teacher, you hope for successes and the joy wins bring to students, families, and their friends. And it was a beautiful flight on a beautiful day. Thanks to the skill of Mr. Karpenko and the care put into the project, the plane flew perfectly and we were all proud of a job well done!