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Breifing Ideas

Started by thefischNX01, September 05, 2005, 02:50:36 AM

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thefischNX01

Hello, sirs/Ma'ams

I am new to being an aerospace education officer.  I have done 3 brefings and I'm already fresh out of ideas.  I just transfered to a new squadron and do not know what the kids like to do. 

For my last squadron I did three breifings as their actin AEO.  My first one....well.....lets not talk about that one.  Needless to say it was a crash and burn.  The second one I took one of those cool UFO toys you can buy at Wal-Mart and used it to talk about torque.  The third one I did we talked about the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. 

Beyond that, I have no clue what to do, beyond be there if the Cadets need help. 

Sorry if I sound whiny, but I need help.  Badly. 

(One of my former cadets is here on the boards, so I'd like to hear what he has to say ;)...)
Capt. Colin Fischer, CAP
Deputy Commander for Cadets
Easton Composite Sqdn
Maryland Wing
http://whats-a-flight-officer.blogspot.com/

Major_Chuck

Let's see: 

You've got early aviation pioneers and their impact on general, commercial, and military aviation.

You could discuss the Mars Rover project and what NASA has accomplished.

You could discuss the early days of aviation up to the second world war.

With Hurricane Katrina there is a lot of information, especially on the NOAA website about hurricanes. 

Contact your local television station and see if you can get one of the weathermen to come and talk about the weather. 

Just a few thoughts.
Chuck Cranford
SGT, TNCO VA OCS
Virginia Army National Guard

thefischNX01

Thank you, sir.  Those are a good help.  Any others with some good ideas?
Capt. Colin Fischer, CAP
Deputy Commander for Cadets
Easton Composite Sqdn
Maryland Wing
http://whats-a-flight-officer.blogspot.com/

Pylon

I really like Major Chuck's ideas with aviation history.  Perhaps I like the idea in particular because my degree is in history.  That coupled with my love for aviation, aviation history doesn't get much better for subject ideas.   ;D

You can really expand on that aviation history idea though.  Giving them a dry run down of the time table of aviation development from pre-Wright Brothers ideas to modern day will only go so far.  It's a good preface to make sure they all have a solid basis for their aviation history, but there are many interesting topics and facets that you can get into throughout aviation history -- especially during the "golden era" (or WWII).

Interesting topics are floating off the top of my head as I write this:  the height of daylight bombing raids over Nazi Germany at Schweinfurt and Regensburg...

...or take an interesting look at the roles of the Pursuit aircraft of WWII and the roles they played (and couldn't play) in turning the tide of the War (if anything, there are tons of history channel and other documentaries on WWII pursuit/fighter aircraft and plenty of great footage to wow them with....   

A popular topic might also be the Doolittle Raid.  Once you discuss what they did to get the bombers off the carrier, and maybe show a documentary (or even those particular scenes from the motion picture Pearl Harbor), then you can discuss with them the more intricate hows and whys of reducing the armor and weight of the planes to take off in a shorter distance, etc.  - in other words, work the physics angle of it in there.

Discuss the Berlin Airlift.  Give them all sorts of interesting facts about it (because I know there are a number of great facts about it).  Talk about what the aircrews did, how they did, how often planes were taking off, and look up some human interest stories about certain aircraft in the airlift (there are a few good ones out there, especially the one about the kids and candy ;) ).  Show some history channel or other "interesting" documentary that has original footage if you can to help bring it to life.

Talk about the long history of the "Flying Wing" back to the 1950s and tie it to the "very cool" modern day B-2 Spirit.  Show them early expirimental photos of the flying wing and compare them with photos of the B-2.  Then, you can talk about how such an airfoil stays afloat and the mechanics of it all.  If you're lucky, you might even be able to drum up a B-2 pilot or maintenance guy to give a talk (I know one of the F-16 pilots at our local ANG base used to fly B-2s.  Ask around.)

Get info on whatever aircraft they have at the closest Air Force/Air National Guard facility.  Talk about the aircraft they have, it's history, it's mechanics, and then bring someone or multiple people in to talk about the aircraft and share some stories.  Schedule a base tour as close to the class as possible so that the cadets get an up and personal look at the bird.  Tie the lessons to seeing the actual parts of the plane in person, and it becomes a more effective lesson.

The ideas are endless.  These are just a few of the ideas that have been spouting out of my mind since I clicked "reply."  There are clearly many, many others. 

My last piece of advice is:  Teach what you know, and teach what you don't know.  In other words, sure -- you can teach classes on topics you're familiar with.  But also, don't be afraid to flip through an aerospace history book, find a topic you're not really familiar with -- say, for example, the Daylight Bombing raids on Schweinfurt, Germany -- research the topic throughly, learn what you can, and if you find interesting stuff about it, chances are they'll find it interesting too.  Don't let your class topics be limited by what you already know.  Let it be a chance for both you and your students to grow in knowledge together.  :)

Good luck and don't hesistate to ask us for more ideas, and questions like "what do you think of this idea?" stuff.  We're always glad to help!    :D
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP

arajca

Another good source is the AFIADL course 00050 - History of US air Power. It covers the development of aircraft starting around 1900 to the Gulf War from the military's perspective. It is a viewpoint you usually don't find in many places. It also covers some of the political fighting that went on leading up to the birth of the USAF. As with all AFIADL courses, the cost is - FREE!

I'm currently in the middle of it. It is an interesting tale so far.

Major_Chuck

You might even look at the CSAF Reading List off of the Air Force Link or the CAP Reading List.

Like Pylon I enjoy history, especially biographies of the early movers and shakers in aviation.

Something I caught on the History channel the other night (unfortunately it was the last fifteen minutes...wife had the remote) was that the Germans towards the end of the Second World War were just about to be able to put into mass production jet fighters based upon the V1 and V2 rockets.  Had they been able to do this a few months earlier it would have probably altered the course of the war.

The test bombings at Bikini Atoll after the end of WWII is fairly interesting as well.  National Georgraphic did a documentary a few years ago on it where they went back and explored the sunken wrecks at the bottom of the ocean.

Chuck Cranford
SGT, TNCO VA OCS
Virginia Army National Guard

Capt SSnyder

Steven Snyder, Capt. CAP
Commander
Woodfield Composite Squadron
GLR-IL-075

Bluelakes 13

Briefings are great, but it's hard for the cadets to sit there for an hour to listen to another lecture.  For the past 3 years we have been doing the AEX program.  It is project-based and a lot of fun.  It does require a bit of preparation beforehand (select an activity and make sure you have the parts needed), but beyond that let you cadet AEO lead the pack.

At GLR Conference Ms. Stone said that there will be a 4th volume.  And perhaps a volume for seniors.  Can't wait!

arajca

AE briefings should not be an hour. At that point it becomes a class. A good time frame for a briefing is 15-20 minutes. Have a few lined up and presented by cadets.

thefischNX01

Thank you all for your help here.

Generally I try to use the hour that I'm given, but I try to keep it more discussion based than anything. 

Capt. Colin Fischer, CAP
Deputy Commander for Cadets
Easton Composite Sqdn
Maryland Wing
http://whats-a-flight-officer.blogspot.com/

Dan

Thanks for all of these ideas.

I've also used space.com and the USAF sites as sources for current events ideas.

I download articles from these two sources, and put them in the Aerospace Education area of our squadron bullentin board.  I leave them up until the next briefing.
Dan Bilitz, Capt, CAP
Aerospace Education Officer
WI-057 Col. R.C. Jaye Mem. Comp. Sqdn.