As discussed the previous night, first light brings the Tinkerers to the barn to put together the PVC glider. Note Emma and Theo’s excellent use of safety goggles (the day is young).

It’s difficult to resist just how great these new Makita drills are. Samir is definitely an afficianado.

Lacing together the PVC takes a lot of wire. Everyone takes a turn – this time it’s Toby’s.

The boys review the keel and leading edge poles. It doesn’t quite look like the sketch in Otto’s Notebook.

Emma helps test the security of the line connection (after one of the lines breaks under simple tension). It turns out the line that broke had a weakness where a previous knot had been tied. It’s decided our knots won’t need to last that long, so the more exotic connection method isn’t used.

Jacob and Tom have carefully laid out all the lengths of recovered line, I believe by length. Leo is just window-dressing.

We were wondering how Theo got significant amounts of straw in his hair. Then he showed us. When we pointed it out, he took steps. (By the way, he’s threading line through a hole in the keel).

Toby, as the smallest, will often be the first tester for this project. He’s been told to stand in the cage to see if it works. The glider is upside down with no flying surface – what exactly are we testing again?

Did we mention that all the PVC would be wired together? Yes? Good. Did we also mention that some of it would have to be wired in multiple places? No? Sorry about that. Can you go get the drill again and some more wire?

Hanna has been asked to scrape off any rough bits in the PVC. Of course all the new holes are perfect and smooth, but there are a few old ones that need cleaning up.

The point at which the poles cross is determined to be rather critical. Getting it wrong could make it very difficult (or impossible) to steer. When there is some ambiguity as to whether the measurement is accurate, reinforcements are brought in.

Maxine and Isaac work together to cinch down the all important crossed PVC. Jiro tries to determine if steering is actually in their future.

Emma brings a few more of the previously frozen tangerines to the goats. The kids have decided that balancing fruit on the animals is good fun – and the animals seem to be intrigued by it as well.

Before the guy-wires are tied on, everyone joins in on a knot-tying lesson. Turns out only Theo already knows one of Gever’s favorite knots: the Trucker’s Hitch (and that’s because he got a lesson during Session 1).

For reduced slippage and sliding of the secured end, we go twice around the pole before securing the hitch.

Hanna, Maxine and Leo are unaware of the activity behind them. Emma awaits her turn, and Toby is surprisingly casual, considering the risk he (literally) faces. Note how small and close-in the basket is. (See video for more.)

Maxine, as tallest, tests the cage. She, like Toby, isn’t exactly sure what she is supposed to learn, standing within the upside-down contraption.

Tywen has also been doing some ground-level scrutiny of the project.

Toby and Isaac ponder their future as aviation test pilots.

Finally the cage can be tested in its intended configuration. Result? Way too much give. The flexibility of the PVC has not yet been overcome. Toby looks longingly toward the test site, while Gever and Jiro work out how to stiffen the frame.

Emma can imagine the possibilities now that the frame has been reinforced.

Maxine demonstrates her pole vaulting technique. She might have actually gotten some serious air if she had used some of the larger diameter PVC….

Now that the frame is wired, guy-wired, reinforced, and safety sealed (with duct tape), it’s time to attach the tarp. Theo swept out an area of the flat pavement in preparation.

Robyn indicates where she’d like to see the frame end up. Max and Emma are trying to figure out how to get it there without walking on the tarp (and crushing rocks into the under surface). Theo is waiting patiently for them to arrive (since of course it had to be built pointing into the wind).

The boys discover chickens. Luckily (for the chickens) they never quite discover the technique for picking up a chicken. But they definitely try.

Isaac is trying to wrap his head around the various feedback he’s getting about drilling a simple hole. At one point he wonders if they want him to drill the PVC from the inside-out. It’s clearly not possible, of course, since the bit is too long.

Since a handle has been beautifully attached to the end of the safety line, the rest needs to be unspooled to reveal the other end (to attach to the glider). Toby offers to run out and help the line unspool.

This stage of the build is all about the duct tape. Tywen hates this stage. Not because of the duct tape (clearly he can handle that) – he seems to have an aversion to sitting on the ground. Here I submit proof that he did actually sit on the ground at one point.

When Isaac returns from the test field scouting trip, we remind him there are ticks in the grass. And with shorts, they have easy access. When it’s suggested he check for ticks, Isaac obliges, but is unwilling to put down his PVC. We are entertained.

After a test hold of the cage, it is observed that the PVC is hard. Foam is added to protect delicate arms. Of course the foam is affixed with duct tape, in classic hang-glider-rack fashion. (Why don’t we own stock in duct tape?)

While Hanna was reluctant to get involved in more duct taping, she doesn’t seem to be having such a bad time. Probably because Maxine is “helping”.

Maxine convinces Hanna to team up on the job. The idea is that Max will tear off the pieces, and Hanna will apply them (the part of the task where the tape inevitably gets all stuck to itself – at least for Max). But somehow Hanna is helping with the tearing as well. Again.

Taping the keel to the tarp was considered a risky solution, but all the other solutions were going to take a lot of time and some serious effort (possibly removing the tarp and reinstalling). For the sake of expediency, taping won out. But it was agreed that it needed to be very secure. And well-pressed.

Toby imagines the tarp filling with air, the wind in his face, and his feet far off the ground. It’s going to feel just like this!

Those who were absent from the extensive taping process were obviously keeping busy.

Early on, it was recognized that the glider would be too big to fit through the barn door. So it was built outside. But fitting across the bridge hadn’t been considered an issue before. Luckily Jiro did a bit of pruning before the crossing.

Getting over the fence (through the gate) wasn’t quite as complicated as the bridge, but since it hasn’t yet been tested, the glider is being treated with kid gloves and carefully supported.

Our destination is in sight: a vast expanse of grassy (albeit tick-infested) field with no fences, powerlines, trees, or bushes to impede our flight. Windsocks not included, so we brought our own.

Gever does a quick pre-flight review, to confirm that the glider seems to be holding together and potentially capable of flight. Seeing how glider-like it looks, all eagerly await the answer. (“Good to go!”)

Tywen wins the multi-tier RoShamBo to determine the first pilot (it is decided weight is not likely a significant issue). He’s now wondering what he’s signed up for. Tom gives him a pep talk (“I see folks do this all the time at Tiger Mountain – there are no trees so you’ll be fine!”)

Tywen demonstrates the controlled stop while Gever demonstrates the tether (which will act as drag on the wing), should things get out of hand.

Tywen can not resist the universal new pilot urge to jump into the air. The glider gladly supports his weight, allowing his body to swing through the frame and force him to lose his footing. This is the classic “not quite flying” posture today.

Without Tywen’s assistance (via running), the glider loses airspeed immediately and sets down on the ground. On top of Tywen, who has also set down on the ground since he lost his footing.

Two red-tailed hawks thermal up overhead, taunting us with their easy flight.

Emma gets good airspeed and resists the urge to jump, but the cage offers very little leverage for keeping the nose down. Emma notices she can see a lot better now, though, without all those tubes in the way.

Emma tries a new grip (worked out with Robyn) that provides better leverage. She manages to keep the nose down, but then doesn’t get as much lift. And so it goes all afternoon long.

Isaac is determined to leave the ground, by any means necessary. Aka – jumping.

As is pretty much always the case after jumping, Isaac’s body swings through and he loses his footing.

Isaac does not try to deny he jumped – he revels in the “flight” he’s had. He’s planning to go back and jump again.

Toby takes his turn and sees that there really is a glider over his head, not just a bunch of duct-taped PVC.

There is some discussion about whether this was actual flight, or more jumping. It certainly does appear that the glider is pulling up on Toby’s arms and his feet do not reach the ground. But there is also $2 at stake, so that might be coloring things.

Now that the glider has withstood a little manhandling, the pilots are willing to push things a little further. Toby has the first spectacular wipe-out. Emma is definitely entertained. Toby is wondering how he did it so he can do it again.

Leo really thought that Isaac would get some serious air. It’s all up to him now. It’s a hard run, but it appears there isn’t really any wind right now.

Leo leaps into the air, to ensure he leaves the ground. It’s not easy when you have to jump all that PVC as well.

Maxine can hardly believe it’s actually working. The cage starts to pull up on her arms.

The slightest sense that the wing is lifting is more than Maxine can stand. She must leap into the air.

And of course after the leap, comes the sliding of the feet out from under her.

The glider is undamaged (as is this, and every, pilot), feet left the ground – what a perfect flight.

Everyone got three runs down the hill. Maxine really made a lasting impression with her final one.

As was typical once the wind picked up a bit, Maxine lost control to the left when the wing got squirrely (but kept her footing, or so it seems). Unfortunately, Bryan was a little too close.

Note how the ground crew (who are supposed to come help secure the wing after the flight) are enjoying the show. Bryan does his best to get the wing off his face.

Maxine sees the camera, and puts a hand out to help make sure it doesn’t get tipped over. (Bryan never let go, even when his head was at stake.)

The camera and Bryan both now safe, Maxine still can’t quite regain her footing (or overcome the drag force of the glider). Luckily Jacob has come to give her a hand (since no one else has moved a muscle).

Finally, Maxine gets both her arms free of the cage and narrowly escapes landing on top of the wing (maybe she felt more comfortable on top of the glider since it’s how they’d spent the whole build?).

While Gever and Theo imagine a flight out over the trees, down the valley, with a landing on the beach, the rest of the gang just enjoy a sunny afternoon out on the hill.

Theo gets the wing to airspeed, and it’s that familiar sight of the wing teetering between stall and lift. Theo resists the urge to just give in to the pressure and let his feet slip out from under him.

As the angle of attack increases, the pressure of the wing increases: Theo uses all his might to fight it and bring the nose back down in order to fly.

The wing starts to come back down, but it still doesn’t lift him. So he brings it down some more.

Unable to bring the wing back down with all the drag force, Theo stops running and just flies the glider. The ground crew is at the ready this time, but there is no urgent need – the wing is completely under control.

In order to get even better leverage over the glider, Theo tries a new grip technique. One hand stabilizes, while the other can extert more downward force.

Having tried through the full range of attitudes, Theo tries to increase his airspeed at what seems the most controlled angle of attack.

Once again, when the glider really lifts, it’s impossible to actually stay in the cage sufficiently to go along for the ride.

Leo shares with Theo his idea for what to try next: wing suits. There is still plenty of blue tarp back in the barn.

Samir has the glider nicely balanced, and walks it down the hill. He’s seen what happens when you run headlong or jump willy-nilly and has no intention of joining those clubs.

Hanna was content to go last, knowing that she’d be able to leverage all the info of all those earlier tests. She waits for a good cycle and quickly gets the glider up to speed.

Well, knowing all those lessons learned and actually acting on them are two different things. Hanna also can not resist giving in to the glider when it pulls her off her feet.

Despite the momentary lapse, Hanna regains her footing sufficiently to control the glider all the way to the ground crew. The wind is picking up, but fortunately the ground crew is getting better at handling the wing as well.

It’s decided that Gever should also try to fly the glider, to help determine what can be done to improve it (and the Tinkerers chances to actually take flight).

Now that Gever is in the pilot “seat”, Jiro assists with the pre-flight check. Gever is wondering if this can actually be done.

Gever confirms what most of the Tinkerers already knew: the difference between lift and stall is nearly imperceptible. He resists the urge to jump, but clearly is struggling to maintain his footing.

After his three runs, Gever agrees that it’s just not possible to fly the glider in the current configuration. It’s getting cold, dinner is waiting (well, not really since we forgot to turn on the oven at the right time, but we’re thinking about dinner), and we need to do some redesign to get this thing off the ground.

Despite working the Tinkering School booth at Maker Faire, Theo never got to try the Lightning Bulb puzzle. He finally gets his chance. The Tough As Nails puzzle at the other end of the table also helps distract everyone from how late dinner is (but it does all finally get done and no one died of starvation).

After dinner tonight is Free Build and Deconstruction. Emma chooses deconstruction (thanks to Adobe).

After Gever mentions he has some little motors, Tywen decides to try one out. Shortly afterward, he is distracted by the slope-sliding-sled-thing that some of the other boys create, and heads back out to the field with the gang. Everyone should sleep well tonight!

Tinkering School version of basketball.

Maybe none of these boys has pets at home? At least the goats enjoy the attention (unlike the chickens).