Grounded for a New Life

BY CHELSEA ROBINSON

Donated aircraft transforms into a hands-on lab

HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS PRIDE THEMSELVES ON OFFERING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR STUDENTS. SOME HAVE LABS WHERE STUDENTS CAN FABRICATE MATERIALS. SOME HAVE AREAS TO OPERATE EQUIPMENT. OTHERS HAVE TECHNOLOGY TO SIMULATE REAL-LIFE SCENARIOS

The OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering has the MD-80 N491AA.

American Airlines delivered the retired 170,000-pound passenger aircraft to the Stillwater Regional Airport on Sept. 23. What was once a commercial vehicle that carried a total of more than 4 million passengers during more than 45,000 flight hours is being transformed into the Aerospace Systems Discovery Lab (ASDL).

Clinical associate professor James Kidd, Ph.D., is leading the efforts to turn a workhorse jet into a learning laboratory.

Kidd says mechanical and aerospace engineering students are exposing the inner workings of the aircraft. This process shows students how complex the systems are, and efficient the design needs to be, in order to make the aircraft function properly.

Visitors to the ASDL experience the details of the plane in an unprecedented manner. From exploring the emergency equipment in the tail and opening the exit window in the center to getting up close with hundreds of gears in the belly and sitting in the cockpit, people of all ages can appreciate this asset.

The ASDL has already been put to work offering educational experiences for MAE students, STEM teachers and K-12 groups. Kidd personally gives tours and lectures at the site.

A typical trip to the ASDL begins under one of the aircraft’s wings that extend out 50-plus feet. Kidd gives the history of the plane and an overview of its specifications. He encourages visitors to ask questions and present ideas for ways to continue expanding the demonstration opportunities.

From there, eager students and teachers climb the stairs into the front of the plane. They get to sit in the pilot’s seat, flip switches and take selfies in the cockpit. Kidd uses the excitement to generate conversation about what the switches, buttons and levers do and how they control other parts of the plane. At this point, the group moves to the middle of the aircraft.

About halfway through the length of the plane, Kidd has loosened part of the floor board. The group gathers around to see what is under their feet — thousands of pulleys and gears, controlling the basic functions of the plane. They also get to sit in the exit seat and follow the instructions to remove the emergency exit panel. Kidd continues by explaining the engineering behind how the shape of the door is designed to offset pressure and describe what the experience would be like if a passenger were to open the door in an emergency.

Kidd says he is constantly coming up with new ideas to generate excitement for engineering and aerospace systems by using the aircraft. Some of his best feedback comes from the younger audiences who are passionate about planes and eager to talk about the ending capabilities of flight.

The ASDL brings unlimited opportunities to CEAT, the community and the region. However, the site is in need of improvements, which are being made over time, says Kidd. Signage was completed in the summer and the inside of the plane is slowly being developed into micro-labs as students disassemble and display other parts.

Support from industry partners like American Airlines and the dedication of alumni and friends is making progress a reality. In future years, Kidd says he can envision more learning spaces where each part of the plane is converted into a small lab space.

The MD-80 N491AA may have retired from the sky, but it will remain hard at work on the ground.

For more information or to support the Aerospace Systems Discover Lab, visit asdl.okstate.edu.

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