Experimental Kit Research Articles

Physics in the open university

Abstract The article outlines the overall structure of the Open University learning systcm with emphasis on aspects specific to Science courses. A selection of Physics courses at present offered to the students is then discussed. The article concludes with information about some of the instruments originally developed for the Open University Home Experiment Kits which are now generally available and can find useful applications in other institutions.

Design, test, and evaluation of an experimental flyaway kit

This article describes and analyzes the results of an F-100D flyaway-kit test. The purpose of the test was to compare the effectiveness of six alternative fly away kits and evaluate the merits of the RAND flyaway-kit method. Consumption data were collected for a 30-day period from two F-100D squadrons stationed in West Germany and were then compared with the contents of each kit, whose effectiveness was measured in terms of its ability to satisfy the squadron's demands for spare parts. The major finding of the test was that the RAND-SMAMA kits provided greater coverage, even though they weighed less than the TAC and USAFE kits. It was found that further progress is needed in two directions: (1) the collection of accurate spare-parts consumption data; (2) the compilation of complete and accurate Master Parts Lists. As it is made, the RAND flyaway-kit method should prove highly satisfactory. The F-100D flyaway-kit project described in this article involved the cooperative efforts of the Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAMA), Headquarters Tactical Air Command (TAG), United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE), Air Material Forces European Area (AMFEA), and the RAND Corporation. Throughout, the project benefited from the contributions of many people, including the following: W. R. Huffman, B. Peterson, G. P. Johnson, B. P. Strathman, W. H. Winkler, B. P. Yhnell, E. Dorwart, Lt. D. Pope, and J. White of SMAMA; Lt. Col R. F. Kendrick of TAC; and M. Astrachan, Bernice Brown, D. M. Fort, and A. H. Rosenthal of the RAND Corporation. Special acknowledgment is due Mary Ann Peters of the RAND Corporation for the computations and thorough checking of the entire manuscript.