Winston Science - Miniature Hovercraft Competition

Miniature Hovercraft Competition
6:00 PM, Saturday, November 7, 2009
Corrigan Gymnasium, The Winston School

Competition is open to students in Grades 6-12. Grade Groups do Apply.
“Contestant” is defined as a team of up to four students
The competition requires the construction of the mini-hovercraft prior to the competition

Purpose

The purpose of this competition is to encourage students to explore the science and engineering associated with hovercrafts.

Reference Web Site:
Http://www.eng.uab.edu/me/faculty/amcclain/Hovercraft_intro_Spring2004.pdf

Construction

(1) Build a hovercraft that has a diameter of less than 18 inches.

(2) Any materials can be used in the construction.

(3) The unit can be powered by a 12-volt battery tethered to the hovercraft by a power cable.

The Competition

(1) There will be three competitions:

Beauty Contest
Lift Competition
Racing Competition

(2) Beauty Contest – the hovercraft with the greatest “style” will be declared the winner.

(3) The Lift Competition – the hovercraft that can lift the greatest weight and still overcome friction will be declared the winner.

(4) The Racing Competition – the hovercraft that can move the fastest down a 10 foot ramp [See reference web site] wins. Deductions will be made for course corrections.