A collection of videos that includes those most pertinent to the current year’s Science Olympiad Flight event,
and a selection of other NFFS Free Flight video topics.
View each video full-screen by clicking on the full-screen link 
in the bottom right corner of the thumbnail.
If you have a question on any of these videos, please post it in the Science Olympiad Forum once it opens in September. Navigate to “Build Events” and then “Flight”. Coach Chuck, Coach Brian, and others from the NFFS Youth Development Program monitor this SO forum daily and will reply quickly.
Science Olympiad Helicopter – Videos applicable to the SO Helicopter event, including building and flying
Science Olympiad Tips from the Coaches – YouTube Shorts addressing questions and comments posted in the forums
| Video Title | Video Link |
2023-24 Science Olympiad – Super Simple Airplane Build for the “Flight” Event – B Division Complete build of a super simple SO airplane that costs less than $15 and flies over two minutes. 32 minutes Read this two-page document for details needed to build this airplane. | |
2023-24 Science Olympiad – Super Simple “Flight Event” Airplane Flying – B Division Flight of Brian’s super simple plane 2 minutes Read this 1/2 page document for details on rubber winding and flying the airplane. | |
Glue and Glue Management for Indoor Models Describes various glues, and managing glue mass 25 minutes | |
Rubber Tying for Indoor Duration Model Airplanes How to tie a rubber motor to exact mass 13 minutes | |
Make a Simple, Cheap Torque Meter 33 minutes. Built from free paint stir sticks and a guitar string. Costs as little as one dollar and takes only 30 minutes to construct. Winding with a torque meter is critical to success in the flying events See this related PDF document. | |
Science Olympiad Wright Stuff 2016 Flight of a nice SO plane, 2016 rules 2 minutes | |
Science Olympiad 2022 Wright Stuff Demo Demo Flying 2022 plane 2 minutes | |
Covering your Science Olympiad Plane Covering demonstration from live seminar 18 minutes | |
Trim Setup of Science Olympiad Flight Planes Setting up initial trim on your Flight planes, from live seminar 18 minutes | |
Science Olympiad Flight rubber motor winding 2023-24 Rubber motor winding for a typical rubber motor for the 2023-24 Science Olympiad “Flight” Event 17 minutes | |
Rubber preparation and winding for Science Olympiad Flight Rubber motor prep, including tying, lube, stretch winding, and transfer to plane 13 minutes | |
Massing your plane How to mass your plane accurately. Intended for remote contests, but useful during your build 5 minutes |
| Video Title | Video Link |
Prop Pitch / Rubber Motor Balance
Understanding the tradeoffs between prop pitch and rubber motor width 45 minutes | |
Prop Building for Rubber Powered Indoor Airplane Models
Make a prop for Scraps, applies to other events 60 minutes | |
Making a wire pigtail thrust bearing
How to make a wire pigtail prop hanger, an alternative to stamped aluminum or plastic hangers 9 minutes | |
Prop Building for Science Olympiad
Demonstration of prop build for Flight plane, from live seminar 13 minutes |
| Video Title | Video Link |
Building and Flying Indoor Catapult Gliders
Complete glider primer 2 hours | |
Build a Balsa Glider, AMA & Science Olympiad, Rick Crosslin
Building a glider 53 minutes | |
Elastic Launched Glider Trimming, Part 1
Basic glider trim, part 1 5 minutes | |
Elastic Launched Glider Trimming, Part 2
Basic glider trim, part 2 4 minutes | |
Elastic Launched Glider Trimming, Part 3
Basic glider trim, part 3 3 minutes | |
Trimming a Balsa Glider, AMA & Science Olympiad, Rick Crosslin
Trimming a glider 10 minutes | |
Building and Flying an Indoor Helicopter
Detailed build of a SO helicopter 60 minutes | |
Coaches Clinic 2021-2022
Annual Coach’s Clinic video 2022 | |
NM Coaches Clinic for Flight Events 2023
Annual Coach’s Clinic video 2023 60 minutes | |
Wright Stuff & Electric Wright Stuff Tips & Tricks From the National Free Flight Society
Made for SO Summer Institute 2021. Includes EWS. Overall intro to tips and tricks, relevant to SO Flight 60+ minutes | |
2022 23 Science Olympiad “Flight” Event – Wing and Box Trimming
Addresses FFM oversize issue 15 minutes | |
Remotely Administered Flying Events for SO
Administering Flight events remotely, relevant to pandemic years and ongoing remote invite events 35 minutes |
| Video Title | Video Link |
Building and Flying Indoor Model Airplanes
Complete build of typical SO plane. Very detailed 120 minutes | |
P-18 Build-Along
Complete build-along session for P18 First Derivative kit 180 minutes |