Ron Bowerman

Ron Bowerman, a teacher at St. Wendelin Catholic High School in Fostoria, Ohio, received a 2009 Toyota TAPESTRY large grant (up to $10,000) for excellence and innovation in science education.

Flying Ocean to Ocean on Dream Chaser—Reenactment of the First Transamerica Flight

Under Mr. Bowerman’s direction, students will use aviation knowledge to learn problem-solving skills to assist them in the future. In answer to a previous student inquiry, students will find out what it really takes to create scientific tools by helping to build a replica of the first airplane flight across the U.S. circa 1911.

The students will be involved with rib building for The Vin Fiz just as other St. Wendelin students were previously when they built other Wright replicas. To start the project, a student built a mock up of the rib they plan to use on The Vin Fiz replica.

After finding a rib circa 1919 that was tested at MIT, they attained the coordinates to draw the rib with help from MIT professor Mark Drela. Mr. Bowerman then used Vernier software to draw the airfoil.

The class will also conduct an electronic Vernier probe test of biomediacal and physics data. For the proposed 1911 reenactment flight, the Chase plane, dubbed as "The ArchAngel", will serve as a test bed and will be uploaded for student and teacher use next summer.

Click here to see photos of Mr. Bowerman's students and project in action.

For more information about aviation and the Wright Brothers, as well as to find activities and lessons for teachers, all tied to the National Outcomes, please visit http://wright-brothers.org.