This term the Year 6 boys are studying Flight. We were very lucky on Wednesday to have Paul Reilly, father of Nick and Zach, come and speak to us about flying. Paul has been a pilot with Virgin Airlines for 13 years so he had many experiences to share with us. We watched a flight from Melbourne to Brisbane (in fast time) and saw all the things a pilot must do during a flight. Paul explained about the thickness of glass in aircrafts, how the cockpit these days is bullet proof and the importance of heat and oxygen control when flying at high altitudes. He also told us about some of his personal encounters while flying. As well as this Paul took us through the aerodynamics of flight, thrust, drag, lift and weight and explained how important it is to have these forces in harmony to avoid stalling and avoidable accidents (which he reassured us don’t happen very often at all, especially in Australia). We watched a few, short but very interesting clips about flying, some safe, some not so safe, which we really enjoyed. Paul also explained the importance of wind direction during take-off and landing procedures and explained to us what we might expect to see and be asked to do when we actually go to Coldstream Airport to fly the Piper Warrior aircraft in November. Something all the Year 6 boys are extremely excited about. We will be sure to share our experiences with you after we fly.
by Mrs Ros Neilson, Year 6 Teacher
