Ep 21. Air Transportation

Popular Mechanics for Kids was a Canadian educational television show that aired from 1997 to 2001. Aimed at children aged 9 to 14, the show explored various topics in science and technology through fun and engaging experiments and demonstrations. Season 1 episode 21, titled "Air Transportation," was all about planes, helicopters, and other flying machines.

The episode begins with co-hosts Elisha Cuthbert and Jay Baruchel boarding a plane and setting off on an adventure to learn about air transportation. They explain how planes use lift, thrust, weight, and drag to fly, and how pilots navigate using instruments like altimeters, airspeed indicators, and gyroscopes.

Next, the hosts visit a helicopter manufacturer and learn about the different parts of a helicopter, including the main rotor, tail rotor, and collective pitch control. They also get to sit in a helicopter simulator and try their hand at flying.

The episode then moves on to gliders, with Elisha and Jay heading to a gliding club to try out this type of aircraft. They explain how gliders use rising air currents to stay aloft and how pilots must be skilled at finding these currents to stay airborne.

After gliders, the hosts learn about hot air balloons and go for a ride in one. They explain how hot air balloons work by heating air inside the balloon using burners, causing it to rise and lift the balloon up into the sky.

Finally, the hosts visit a military airfield to learn about fighter jets. They explain how fighter jets use powerful engines, advanced avionics, and weapons systems to perform complex maneuvers and engage in aerial combat.

Throughout the episode, the hosts also provide interesting facts and trivia about air transportation, such as how the Wright Brothers invented the first successful airplane in 1903, and how the Concorde was the world's fastest passenger jet, capable of flying faster than the speed of sound.

In addition to these fun and educational segments, the episode also features a number of experiments and demonstrations that illustrate the principles of flight. For example, Elisha and Jay build and test a paper airplane to show how different wing designs affect flight performance. They also use a wind tunnel to demonstrate how air flow affects lift and drag.

Overall, "Air Transportation" is a fun and informative episode that gives kids a great introduction to the world of flying. Whether they want to become pilots, engineers, or simply have a fascination with airplanes, this episode is sure to inspire and entertain.