Gyroscopes

The CAP portion of this post relates to my first formal lesson in front of our small group of cadets. I am on what is called the "Aerospace Education Professional Development (PD) Track". This is the route by which I will eventually receive promotions and all the glory that goes along with being a CAP senior officer...

In the near future, I will need to develop some formal learning materials to teach cadets about aviation history, space flight, and general aviation principles. Some of the material I will need to learn myself for the first time. For now, though, I get to teach them what I already know pretty well: aircraft systems, airports, and navigation. While my previous interactions were somewhat ad-hoc, this week's meeting included a formal lesson complete with visual aids.

The details are pretty boring, but let me set the stage for you: This is a small group of 12 to 18 year olds who - for whatever reason - are attracted to the idea of aviation and probably future military service. One cadet is in fact already signed up for the navy and will be shipping out for training this summer.

Silly me, I would have assumed that they had some connection to aviation to begin with. A relative with a plane or who was a pilot...something. Apparently not. Surprisingly (but encouragingly) they simply are attracted to the concept without having much experience at all. Although CAP offers "orientation flights", most have not yet had the chance to go up.

Even so, I can take it down a notch and assume that they at least have some interest in science (which they do). Nonetheless, we got around to talking about the instruments in the airplane and the concept of the gyroscope. I opened the book to show a diagram of one of the mechanisms, and casually said something like, "But you've probably all played with a gyroscope before." Crickets...

Nothing. Blank stares. Really? NONE of you ever had a gyroscope?

Now, I'm not that old. I identify more with the young cadets (half my age) that I do the senior members (almost twice my age). I still consider myself a student but I definitely have a greater comfort level with technology than some of the old guys. But really - no gyroscopes?

So, I was on a new mission. I planned to go run to the toy store (a national chain that shall not be named) to pick up a few for my kids and "borrow" them for a meeting to demonstrate the principles involved. Well....

Turns out that the gyroscope anemia extends to the toy store personnel as well. I am quoting when I say that the first person I asked about gyroscopes said, "A wha-ha-ha??" "A gyroscope...a little spinning top...," I responded. After a consultation on the store radio, we were directed (led, actually) to the yo-yo "department", a small shelf near the front of the store. Guess what? No gyroscopes. Lots of yo-yo's, nothing else. Blank stares all around again.

So I wandered the store on my own, thinking there must be a "science" section. Which there was...microscopes, telescopes, and mini-science projects. But no gyros here either.

I left wondering where our country has gone wrong. There is something fundamental missing when we wonder why we can't interest more kids in science and math but can't seem to find a way to get a gyroscope or other similar simple toy into their hands to fiddle with. Perhaps we shouldn't be so worried about national health care. Maybe we need a national gyroscope fund to put one or two of these in every kid's hands and just let 'em go. Something to consider for the new year...