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Welcome to the Smart Skies/ FOIlSim activity I’m Bonnie Murray, and I’m Karen Ricks,
your Education Specialists, and we’re going to connect NASA and racing to give your students
real world application of the STEM topics in your curriculum. FoilSim is an interactive computer
simulation software that demonstrates airflow around various shapes of airfoils.
The Airfoil View Panel, shown below, is a simulated view of a wing being tested in a wind tunnel with air
moving past it from left to right. Students change the position and shape of the wing by moving slide controls
that vary the parameters of airspeed, altitude, angle of attack, thickness and curvature of the airfoil, and size of the wing area.
The software displays plots of pressure or airspeed above and below the airfoil surface.
A probe monitors air conditions (speed and pressure) at a particular point on or close to the surface of the airfoil.
The software calculates the lift of the airfoils, allowing students to learn the factors that influence lift.
A technical paper describing the details of the mathematical method used in FoilSim is also available
at the following link below. Visit the link to access the resource guide with complete directions and a materials list.
Check back often for the release of new activities!