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Future flight resources

We’ve partnered with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to create a series of resources that look at the future of flight.

All of our resources come with free lesson plans, handouts and activity sheets to get your pupils innovating and applying science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to real-world transport issues, including sustainability and climate change.

Our resources will get students measuring velocity, learning about air traffic controllers, engineering water powered rotary engines, designing a transport system of the future and more!

Download the free resources below! And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation or send them via email to IETEducation@theiet.org to be featured in our online gallery.

Air traffic control communications

Learn the role of an air traffic controller and understand the importance of clear communication in the aviation industry. Learn how to give clear verbal instructions for others to be able to produce different shapes.

Go to Air traffic control communications

Measure the velocity of balloon rockets

Make a balloon rocket and carry out timed tests to calculate the velocity of the balloon.

Go to Measure the velocity of balloon rockets

Heat shield

Make use of the theme of the future of flight to design, build and test a heat shield to prevent a piece of chocolate from melting.

Go to Heat shield

Hero engine

Introduce the concept of force and motion and energy transfer through the making of a rotary water-powered ‘hero’ engine.

Go to Hero engine

History of flight

Research to identify the important technological advances in flight development, and create a mobile timeline.

Go to The history of flight

Keep the path clear

Bird strikes can be extremely dangerous and cause a lot of damage to aircrafts. Your challenge is to think of creative ways in which this can be prevented!

Go to Keep the path clear

Luggage of the future

Create a list of design criteria for the luggage, apply mathematical knowledge in measuring the objects that need to be carried, then design the luggage itself.

Go to Luggage of the future

Personal transport system

Design a futuristic personal transport system. The transport will use a chosen method of propulsion to allow it to fly, carrying an individual or a group of people.

Go to Personal transport system

Pop-up airport

Design a pop-up airport to allow the delivery of food supplies to people in famine affected, remote areas.

Go to Pop-up airport

Which material for your aircraft?

Learn about the density of materials and work out the volume of an object. Then use this information and number skills to calculate the density. 

Go to Which materials for your aircraft?

If you enjoyed the Future Flight activities, why not try our transport themed resources too?

Transport themed resources

Learn about travel with this transport inspired resource collection.

Go to Transport