| A Rubber band helicopter is a toy that can be | | | | the elasticity of this band - so you don't want to |
| made using some wire, a drinking straw, some | | | | go using the wrong sort of rubber band to make |
| cotton, some paper and a 3-inch long rubber band. | | | | your toy. |
| It is a great toy that utilizes the elastic property | | | | How to make the helicopter |
| of rubber bands - of course, to make the | | | | Making the helicopter is fairly simple. The first |
| helicopter you will need a good quality rubber band | | | | thing you should do is to loop the wire into circular |
| so that its elasticity can make the helicopter fly. | | | | shape and hold the ends together with tape. Then |
| Why make a helicopter? | | | | the yarn should be tied - in two separate pieces - |
| Making a helicopter out of rubber bands is a great | | | | across this loop - one towards the top and one |
| project for children. Younger children may need a | | | | towards the bottom. The yarn helps keep the |
| little bit of help from their parents - There is no | | | | loop in shape when the helicopter flies. |
| greater feeling than seeing your helicopter fly with | | | | The rubber band goes on next - looped around |
| your child. | | | | the middle of one side of the circle and attached |
| The project teaches some basic physics as well - | | | | with the paper clip to the other side so that it |
| and is a great learning about the mechanics of | | | | stretches across the circle in between and parallel |
| flight. Flying has always been mankind's dream - | | | | to the yarn. |
| and it is most exciting if you yourself can actually | | | | Now the paper has to be cut into strips of |
| build something with your hands that can be made | | | | different lengths - two of 3X12 inches and two of |
| to fly. The Wright brothers, in fact, used a model | | | | 6X3 inches for the wings. The cardboard should |
| quite similar to this kind of toy helicopter to inspire | | | | be cut into a 3X3 inch butterfly shape for the |
| their dreams of flying. | | | | rotor and two 1X3 inch tabs. |
| The materials you need | | | | The rotor has to be attached to the middle of |
| The first thing you will need to make this toy is | | | | the straw and the 3X6 inch strips of paper go on |
| an ordinary drinking straw. Also you will need a | | | | either end of it at right angles to the straw and |
| piece of wire or a flexible piece of bamboo that is | | | | parallel to each other; these things should be glued |
| about 25 inches in length, some cotton yarn, a | | | | on. |
| paper clip, some cardboard and a 12 inch long | | | | The 1X3 inch cardboard is taped on either side of |
| piece of thick paper. Besides this you will need | | | | the band and the 3X12 inch paper is glued on each |
| glue and tape for sticking everything together. | | | | tab such that it extends at an angle of 30 |
| The most important part of the toy - the | | | | degrees from the rubber band. |
| material that will actually make it fly - is the | | | | Flying the helicopter |
| rubber band. It has to be a good quality one- | | | | Hold the bottom of the circle and push the rotor |
| about three inches in length - with good elasticity | | | | in between the two rubber band strands and wind |
| that you should test by stretching the band a | | | | it up - then throw the helicopter in the air and |
| couple of times before actually putting it to use. | | | | watch it fly. Remember to buy good quality |
| The entire flying ability of the helicopter rests on | | | | rubber bands for your helicopter. |