A new activity has been successfully implemented in Embry-Riddle's Aircraft Detail Design course that stimulates students' abilities to give meaning to the numbers they calculate in structures analysis and design. Over a period of two weeks they designed, built and tested a wingbox-type structure of given dimensions, responding to a challenging set of requirements and under particular constraints, notably the limitation of employing only conventional aluminum kitchen foil and common glue for their structures. An outcome of this exercise was that the students were able to recognize and understand the different potential failure modes and consider them in the design process. This activity also served as a rehearsal and preparation for the semester-long project, helping them to know what to expect both with regards to the analysis and to the technical report writing requirements.
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