LJ 2 - The future of aviation

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 4

The future of aviation 

Lesson goals

After this lesson you will be able to:

• Give an interview on a prepared topic.
• Argumentative essay structure.
  
• Write an argumentative essay.
  

The Electric airplane

Watch the clip on the electric airplane and answer the following questions in English.

1A Who develops this aircraft? 

1B What is it called? 

1C Where is it manufactured? 

2 . Why is the maximum flight time only one hour?

3. What makes this aircraft ideal for hybrid planes and small training aircraft?

4. Why have they decided to put the engine closer to the fuselage than first intended?

5. When will the engine be emission-free?

6. How do pilots practice flying this airplane and why is that important?

7.  Are any electric planes already on the market?

8.  What possible application of this aircraft is mentioned?

The Electric airplane

1A Who develops this aircraft? 

1B What is it called? 

1C Where is it manufactured? 

2. Why is the maximum flight time only one hour?

3. What makes this aircraft ideal for hybrid planes and small training aircraft?

4. Why have they decided to put the engine closer to the fuselage than first intended?

5. When will the engine be emission-free?

6. How do pilots practice flying this airplane and why is that important?

7.  Are any electric planes already on the market?

8.  What possible application of this aircraft is mentioned?

Answers

1A NASA B X57 Maxwell C The Armstrong Flight Research Center

2 One hour, the batteries do not last longer.

3 It reduces operating and maintenance costs.

4 It gives the plane more stability.

5 The plane is emission-free during cruise mode.

6 They practice by using a simulator to prevent surprises.

7 Yes, there are a handful of electric airplanes on the market.

8. It could be used as an air taxi service (or other urban mobility applications).

9. It means moving around in a city.

So, what did we learn about taking notes?

Speaking assignment

Form a group of two. One of you represents Clip Air, while the other represents Link & Fly. After reading your texts, and underlining the important parts, take turns interviewing each other on the different aircraft.

- What is the Clip Air/ Link & Fly exactly?

- What is new about this concept?

- What is this new idea based on?

- What does the aircraft look like? (Describe.)

- What is an important advantage of this aircraft?

- What could be a disadvantage of this aircraft?

- Who developed this aircraft?

- Who would make use of this aircraft?

- How does the system work exactly? (Describe.)

- How could this new aircraft be cheaper than others?

- How could this new aircraft be more sustainable than others?

- What do you know about the weight, length, and speed of the aircraft?

- Do you think the aircraft will actually be taken into production at some point? (Explain.)

At the end of the interview, decide which of the two aircraft would be the better solution according to the two of you and get ready to explain your teacher why that is.

How to start

Go to your reader on p. 34 or 35 and choose between the two articles and use that to conduct your interview. You can start your own interview by making a separate meeting. Once you're done you can switch roles. Remember to take notes! 

Clip Air, created by Switzerland's Federal Polytechnic Institute.

Link & Fly, created by AKKA Technologies.

Write an argumentative essay

How will the new innovative designs of aircraft impact the industry in fifty years? Although predictions are always a gamble, you might have some ideas about innovations. Think about new types of aircraft, fuel, capacity, velocity, etcetera. Write 200-250 words about the most world shocking changes that are about to happen according to you. 

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