Aerospace Adventure to Bristol

The DT department had a rare day out with 40 year 10s from the Engineering and Design & Technology courses to visit the Aerospace museum in Bristol.  This is now the home of the last British Concord that flew which is housed in a massive hanger on the site.  Pupils gasped out loud at the scale of it as they saw it for the first time.  

This museum documents the transformation from a tram builder in the early 1900s to becoming the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1910, then diversifying into developing the engines that powered these amazing early pioneer flights and is now known as BAE systems. Pupils looked around the many exhibits of planes, engines, development of flight, international and space travel and everything connected in between.  
As part of the day, we took part in a workshop to design and create a way to move an app directed gyroscopic ball across the surface of Mars (obvs not the real Mars) to collect a precious cargo.  This gave pupils the chance to work in teams to develop and test a prototype, a small insight into the challenges that real designers & engineers face.

A few lucky pupils even took part in a smaller tour of the conservation hanger, where a Bolingbroke freighter and a WW1 Bristol Fighter are being restored by volunteers.  It was a very interesting and informative day for all of us.

Many thanks to Mrs Pearce & Mr Ong for supporting the visit.  We all have a fantastic day out!