The Hydraulic Flight Simulator is a tabletop device that allows students of aviation to see in real-time the dynamic relationship between power and pitch. It show how energy is transferred from the engine to the plane as airspeed, how airspeed is turned into altitude and how altitude can be exchanged for airspeed. To do this, the Hydraulic Flight Simulator uses the medium of water to represent the energy present when an airplane is in flight. The Hydraulic Flight Simulator was created to behave realistically, accounting for the loss of energy from drag, the effect of gravity, the loss of lifting ability due to density altitude, induced drag at high angles of attack and the complete loss of lift due a stall. The Simulator can be used to demonstrate cruise, terminal velocity, service ceiling, slow flight, stall and stall recovery, decent, "dead-stick" decent and landing. Instructional topics include discussion of potential energy (fuel supply and altitude) and kinetic energy (air speed) and the four forces acting on an airplane in flight; thrust and drag, lift and gravity. Featured in MAKE (12): http://www.make-digital.com/make/vol12/?pg=154&pm=2&u1=friend

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David Simpson

- The Covert Surveillance Team

Life-long Maker, David Simpson develops and delivers original educational programs for science and technology venues. In 2010, he was named the Civil Air Patrol's New Jersey Aerospace Education Officer of the Year. He's delivered workshops for the Liberty Science Center, the Girl Scouts and the International Spy Museum.

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