R4D SIM USED AS A TEACHING TOOL

It seems entirely appropriate that a school named Piper Middle School, in Kansas City, Kansas would use an aviation simulator in a Math and Science Applications class. But, it isn't a Warrior or a Cherokee that the students are navigating around their virtual world, but the famed Mid Atlantic Air Museum's Douglas R4D, known in it's civilian guise as the DC-3.

The "R4D Team", now known as MAAM-SIM, granted a special license earlier this year to Piper M.S. to use the popular donationware CD for Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2002 on multiple computers in the classroom. Don Park, who developed and teaches the course at Piper, recently sent this to MAAM-SIM team leader Bill Rambow for publication...

"As the pictures show, we have the R4D installed on six computers in my Middle School classroom. What a great sound the room is filled with when all six are humming together! I use these in my class called "Design & Build". This is a Math/Science Applications class, which is offered as an "elective" to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.

We design and build model planes, houses, bridges, and anything else the kids dare to tackle. One team built the "Eiffel Tower", which stands about 3 feet tall in my room. We have also made a suspension bridge with a catenary arch: "Y=X squared/10 + 3" The scale houses made by the 6th grade are to a scale of 3/4" to 1 foot. These are made from balsa wood using scale 2x4s, 4x4s, etc. Once the house is complete, we fly from Chicago O'Hare to Champaign, Illinois to "pick up" our Assistant Principal and fly her back to O'Hare to see the house so we can "sell" it to her. Of course, a student pilot, copilot, and navigator use the "R4D" to accomplish this feat quite well using the VOR! (Great Math Application)

I must admit that we "killed" the principal last year upon attempting to land on runway 27 at O'Hare. Maybe that is why the new assistant has taken her place this year. She is monitoring the training of my pilots quite closely. One of my kids can "grease it in" every time, and she is feeling good about the ride!

We also have an "Interest Club" that is conducting the "Great American Air Race" from O'Hare to Champaign to Peoria to Cedar Rapids and back to O'Hare. The first group used the 737-400 and we are about to try it with the R4D. The kids are really excited about this. I think using the simulator in this type situation really gets the kids into it with enthusiasm. They can't wait to get to my class and they don't want to leave. You're now a part of that. Thanks so much for making and sharing such a great part of our history with my kids.

Sincerely, Don Park Piper Middle School K.C. Ks.

The R4D CD, which contains complete aircraft, panel, and sound packages for FS98, FS2000, FS2002, CFS, and CFS2 is available at www.maam.org for $25 and will be shipped anywhere in the world for $4.95. It is also chock full of extras, such as vintage DC-3 manuals, video and photos. All proceeds go directly to the non-profit museum's Engine Replacement Fund, and the R4D Team's effort has thus far raised over $90,000. MAAM's Martin 4-0-4 Silver Falcon was fitted with a new engine and brought home to Reading, and the ultimate goal of the fund, to buy two new engines for the Douglas R4D and get her airborne again, will finally be realized this summer. Plans are afoot for a complete refurb of #50819, once the new mills are strapped on, so attendees at the AVSIM 2003 Conference and Exhibition to be held at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum at Reading Regional Airport on September 26th and 27th, can hope to see her looking like she did when she won Grand Champion Warbird at the 1983 Oshkosh Fly-In.

Those not satisfied with just looking may even take a sight-seeing flight on the R4D at the show - but there is a catch. The type of FAA certification and insurance held by MAAM for the R4D specifies that only museum staff and members can fly aboard her. So, if you plan to attend - as you should - and want to fly aboard the Douglas, the obvious solution is to join MAAM. For $45 you can become a full member. To learn what else you get for your money, aside from the satisfaction of helping this great organization during a rough economic time, and to sign up, go to http://www.maam.org/members.html Further details on how to sign up for a flight on the restored Douglas at the AVSIM Convention will be published as the event gets closer.

While you are on the MAAM website, be sure to read about the all new GMax R4D and B-25J 'Briefing Time' projects that the MAAM-SIM team is working on now. You can expect an announcement about release dates soon, both here at AVSIM and at MAAM.