Students use the LEGO Tiltrotor Iron Bird model to demonstrate the most important technical features of tiltrotor aircraft. Its twin LEGO motors can each tilt up to 90 degrees to simulate the transition from vertical to horizontal flight. While the motors tilt, the trailing edge of each wing also rotates 90 degrees, as is seen on actual tiltrotor vehicles. Further, a driveshaft between the two motors allows both rotors to spin, even if one of the two motors is powered off. This demonstrates the mechanical redundancy principle found on real tiltrotor aircraft.
Credit: Poornima Tomy/Penn State All Rights Reserved
Students use the LEGO Tiltrotor Iron Bird model to demonstrate the most important technical features of tiltrotor aircraft. Its twin LEGO motors can each tilt up to 90 degrees to simulate the transition from vertical to horizontal flight. While the motors tilt, the trailing edge of each wing also rotates 90 degrees, as is seen on actual tiltrotor vehicles. Further, a driveshaft between the two motors allows both rotors to spin, even if one of the two motors is powered off. This demonstrates the mechanical redundancy principle found on real tiltrotor aircraft.
Credit: Poornima Tomy/Penn State All Rights Reserved