Leaphart, Wright  

Aerospace Engineering

3.41/4.00

57 evaluations


AERO 102


Sophomore
B
Elective
Jun 2000
If you are at all interested in obtaining your pilot's license, this is the class for you. I am not sure if the professor was that interesting, or if I was that interested in the subject matter. Whatever the case, this was one of the few classes that I actually looked forward to going to.


Freshman
A
Elective
Jun 2001
Wright is a really nice guy who loves everything there is about flying and learning how to do it. The whole class was based on quizzes and tests, all questions and answers you have in the study guide. Just memorize answers and you'll coast through the class.

AERO 210


Sophomore
A
Elective
Aug 2001
Teacher is vary enthusiastic about subject matter and projects it to his students. If you need to take an F1 requirement, and are interested in "WINGS" take this class.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Feb 2000
This was a pretty easy class overall. There were no homework assignments, but there was one paper, a midterm, and the final (which only reflected the latter half of the class). Leaphart is pretty boring though if you don't have an interest in aviation, like myself. I never once read the book and I managed to do well on the tests. Just as long as you prepare for the tests and write a good paper this class is an easy A or B.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Mar 2000
Nice guy, pretty boring class, but very easy. You don't really need the book, in fact they don't sell back for much so either share or don't bother. What you need are the lecture notes. You end up watching a lot of videos that are pretty interesting. I'm not into aviation really, but it was bearable and he is open to questions and emails. It's a pretty easy A or B for a GE.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Mar 2000
Even though I managed to get a good grade in the class, the man teaching it could not have been any more hard nosed and inconsistant in his grading. He picks out favorites in the very begining of the quater and if you are not a male and in the areo department, be prepared to fight your way through that class. He is terribly boring and trys to cover up that fact by showing video after video in class, which do nothing but help induce a nice little nap. Don't bother buying the books beucase you never need them. Also don't bother putting alot of substance and hard work into the term paper that you do becuase he only cares if you use 12 point font and MLA essay format. I recomend that you avoid this class at all costs and save yourself.


Junior
A
General Ed
May 2002
The first part of this class is extremely boring. He makes you learn about all these idiots who tried to fly with capes and stuff. Theres chapters and chapters about those guys. He needs to dump that crap and two of the textbooks are only used for stuff too. He can be a real hard ass sometimes. He was very rude when I told him I would be late to the next lecture. Other than that he was okay.

AERO 310


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jun 2002
If you are looking for an easy upper-division GE, take this class. If you go to all the lectures, or at least get all the notes, you should get an A. 1 midterm, 1 paper, and a final. Lots of movies to watch, although his lectures can be a little boring at times. If you prefer an easy A over being a little bored in your seat, take this class.


Senior
A
Elective
Mar 2003
I really thought this would be a good class to fulfill area F. Actually, Professor Leaphart presents the material in a fairly uninteresting way. Tests revolve around alot of rote memorization, and almost no critical thinking is required. Pretty much an easy A if you show up and do the work though.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Apr 2003
I really liked prof leaphart. He was funny, and i thought taught well. The lectures are a little boring but if you take good notes and study them you will do well. The tests are pretty easy and there are only 2. The paper was long but not that hard and i think he graded us based on our references and ability to follow the format he wanted. Lots of videos lots of getting out of class early. Know the what the planes look like for the tests. I liked him. He's a little old fashioned but funny. I really liked the class. It was pretty easy too.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Apr 2003
Prof. Leaphart is very enthusiastic about this class. If you like history and are somewhat interested in flight, take this class. You will watch atleast one video every single class, which tends to get boring, but the videos are not that bad. The midterm is very easy - mult. choice + essay -and is similar to the final which is not cumlative. You have to do a research paper on basically anything you want relating to flight. Prof. Leaphart offers extra credit which can account for 5% of your grade so do the extra credit! Overall, take this class for an easy A and you might actually end up liking it.


Senior
A
Elective
Apr 2003
Prof. Wright Leaphart has the perfect name for an AERO teacher. And he REALLY knows his stuff. This man is a walking encyclopedia of aviation information. Unfortunately, he's not a great lecturer. He often stumbles over his words, has lengthy pauses at strange intervals, and does not always understand questions asked in class. His tests are pretty easy if you pay attention in class and take LOTS of notes. Overall, I thought he did a much better job teaching AERO-102 (essentially Driver's Ed for small private planes). Of course, that IS his specialty - he's a licensed flight instructor. I thought the material was very intersting regardless of his (lack of) speaking skills. And pay attention to his tie everyday. You'll see what I mean.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jun 2003
What is wrong with this guy's rating? It should be a 4.0, this guy's class is soooo easy, just show up and take notes and you'll get an Easy A. 1 midterm, 1 paper, 1 final. Final is not cumlative. A little bit of Extra Credit was offered. I enjoyed learning about this topic, plus there were a lot of day where we got out early. Take this class if you're semi-interested in planes and want an easy A for Area F.


Junior
B
General Ed
Dec 2003
Professor Leaphart is really, really excited about airplanes. His class is easy but extremley boring which causes many students to skip it which in turn makes him crabby and grouchy. Overall this class was alright and I would take it again (just because I heard it's the easiest way to fulfill the general ed requirement). When you do the "research paper" content really does not matter, at least not as much as using the proper MLA format, MAKE SURE you do that right and you are almost guaranteed a 100% on it, other than that, just study the studyguide and you should do fine.


Junior
A
General Ed
Dec 2004
He is a good guy and the class is good too. He isn't the most exciting teacher ever but the class is still ok. It is pretty easy, just 2 tests and a research paper.


Junior
N/A
General Ed
Dec 2004
He knows an amazing amount of information about aviation...it's incredible. This was a fun class and it's not very hard. You learn a lot of interesting things about flight. He's a really nice guy with a charming and refined southern accent.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jan 2005
Professor Leaphart is a somewhat quirky guy. He shows more videos than he teaches, which made it really boring for me. You have to write down everything he says, because it may just show up on the test. There is one midterm, one research paper, and a final. There are take-home essay questions on the midterm and final that you have to complete and bring to the exams. They're easy. The research paper is 8-10 pages, but it was really fun to write because it can be on anything related to aviation. I had no interest in aviation prior to this class. I winged the midterm (because I thought avaition was too boring to study for) and got a C. I studied hard for the final, and after doing so, I found aviation to be interesting after all. If you like aviation, definitely take this class. If you don't like aviation and want to take this class for an esay A, take it with an open mind and really try to learn. I wish I had realized that before the final.. I would've gotten so much more from this class.


Junior
B
General Ed
Mar 2005
Wright is a great guy. He knows EVERYTHING about aviation. You can really tell that he has a passion for the subject and wants everyone else to share his enthusiasm. He may not be the most exciting lecturer in the world but the subject matter more than makes up for it. The class is pretty easy and I definitely learned a lot from it. I even missed the final and he let me make it up later. Overall, I would definitely recommend this class.


Senior
A
General Ed
Apr 2005
Dr. Leaphart is a very knowledgable professor with a love a aviation that he obviously wants to impart to his students. I found all of the material (especially the history) to be interesting and the videos were good supplements to the lectures. Overall, I'd recommend this class to anyone who needs GE Area F credit.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jun 2005
Take this class!!! Wright Leaphart is chill. For Spring 05 the class was made up of a final and a midterm as well as two percent extra credit. Both exams are easy if you study and go to class (or get the notes, in which case you don't have to go to class, ever). He knows this course fulfills a lame GE requirement so he is on level with the students and doesn't complicate things. Take him and Aero 310, it is the easy GE at Cal Poly.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jun 2005
Prof. Leaphart is a really nice man, and I enjoyed his class. It was like listening to your grandpa tell you about airplanes. I enjoyed his enthusiasm about what he was teaching, and the fact that he REALLY knows a lot about airplanes, not to mention history. He's also a flight instructor and flys himself, so that adds to his credibility. His tests are kind of hard, because there's no required text reading, which is both good and bad, and so if you miss something in his lectures and don't copy it down in your notes, too bad. He talks a little bit fast sometimes, but I got most of it in my notes. It's just a costly mistake if you do miss something. Don't take this class if you can't show up to every class, because he shows videos which you must generally know what they are about for his tests. Just getting notes from a friend won't cut it. All in all though, a good class to fulfill the GE requirement...better than like the class about plastics or something, at least this is interesting.


Junior
A
Elective
Jun 2005
If you come to every class and take notes... you will most likely get an A. He offers extra credit and it's an interesting topic. When he reaches the more recent aviation stuff his material is extremely out of date! If you don't know much about airplanes you probably won't notice... but his last lecture was on the future of flight and he showed a video from 1985!!


Junior
A
General Ed
Aug 2005
cool dude, really into aviation which makes a very boring class at least do-able. a few times i found myself falling asleep and i did skip a few classes, but i was still able to manage an A, since theres no book, u have to go to class or put in a lot of time studying someone elses notes, but going to class helps absorb the material, if u have to take an area F GE class, take this, its cake, the tests r straight from the notes of lecture material, be sure to write down everything he says


Junior
A
General Ed
Mar 2006
gret guy, class is long, but he does his best to make it entertaining, hes very passionate and friendly, overall a great teacher.


Junior
A
Elective
Mar 2006
Leaphart loves him some planes. His interest in aeronautics rubs off on his students, lecturing on everything from the wright brothers to Apollo 13. Now, its a 2 hour class with about 100-150 students and no break in between. Keep your pencils sharp because this class is 100% notetaking, NO BOOKS.


Junior
N/A
General Ed
Mar 2006
He is awesome! I had no idea planes could be so interesting. I missed about 5 lectures of the sceond half and got a 95 on the final. As long as you get the notes and study them, you'll be fine. The tests are a lot easier than you think they would be (the last essay was list your 5 favorite pilots and planes.. nothing difficult). Good easy A, and the lecture material is pretty interesting. He is so passionate about the subject and it really shows. AERO 310 is better than any other Area F GE as far as I have heard.


Junior
A
General Ed
Mar 2006
What a nice guy. I can't say enough good things about this professor and class. The subject matter is a little dry, but Leaphart makes up for it with his passion for aviation and firsthand knowledge of a lot of the material. He IS a commercial pilot and flight instructor, after all. The grading is based entirely on the mid-term and final, so if you're a crappy test-taker, you might want to consider a different area-F GE. Also, a 2% extra-credit assignment was available, even though you probably won't need it to get an A.


Junior
A
General Ed
Mar 2006
Leaphart really knows his stuff. This is probably the easiest Area F class you can take, there is no homework and you don't have to buy any books. There are two midterms, but as long as you show up to class you'll do fine. The midterms are pretty easy, with maybe a couple tricky questions, but EVERYONE GETS AT LEAST A B, and it isn't that hard to get an A. just make sure you pay attention in class or know someone that takes pretty good notes. the videos are kind of lame, but pay attention to them for the final (they're not important for the first midterm). easy class, leaphart offers 2% extra credit which is cake .. ultimately, leaphart really knows his stuff and is a pretty cool guy about it. i thought this class would be really lame, but even i ended up getting some really cool information out of it.


Sophomore
A
Elective
Mar 2006
CLASS IS AWESOME HIGHLY RECCOMEND!!! MIDTERM AND FINAL WHICH ARE NO PROBLEM IF YOU PUT IN ABOUT 8 HOURS OF STUDYING. LECTURES TEND TO GET BORING BUT WATCHING MOVIES helps the time go by fast.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jul 2006
The class is based off of one midterm and one final. That's it! No book! No homework! You do have to go to class and take extra careful notes, though. The class was straightforward and very interesting. We watched movies on airplanes in at least half of the classes. Usually he has half of the class time reserved for a video and half for lecture notes. There is an extra credit assignment, visiting an airplane museum. The extra credit was fun and interesting. The tests were a little difficult and asked detailed questions. However, the test is multiple choice. There was an at-home essay due with the midterm and there was a little bit of open ended questions on the final. Overall this class was awesome and Leaphart is a great teacher.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jul 2006
I thought this class was going to be one of the most boring I would have to take at Cal Poly. I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised! From the beginning, Leaphart held my attention in class. Some of my friends were bored at first, but by the end of the class, we all enjoyed the subject. It was more of a history class than an aeronautical engineering class. I would highly recommend this class to fulfill your area F GE. All we had was a midterm and final and an optional (very short) extra credit paper. I feel like although I won't remember all the little details, this is the type of class whose information will stick with me. You know you're learning something when you and your friends see an airplane outside of class and are excited to identify it. I know, sounds dorky, but this class was a lot of fun - especially if you take it with some friends. A quarter later we still reference stuff from class. Leaphart seems like a sweet guy with his endearing Southern accent (he says things like "thee-ay-tuh" for "theater") and I can tell he cares a lot about his students and is VERY passionate about his subject. Don't get on his bad side though; my roommate got kicked out of class for eating. Just follow the rules and you will be fine. You also get to watch some unintentionally hilarious documentaries in here. They all begin, "Since the dawn of time, Man has dreamed of soaring with the eagles..." while showing a seagull flying at sunset. Anyway, I thought this class was fun and interesting. If you're looking for a (somewhat) easy GE, go for it!


Senior
A
General Ed
Sep 2006
I loved this class so much that I would take it all over again if I could! Professor Leaphart is the BEST professor at Cal Poly! His lectures are so captivating that I lost track of the time in class! There are no books to purchase - just take notes for the film and lecture. He offers 2 points extra credit if you visit an air musuem and write a page about your experience. The midterm was 80 multiple choice questions and a take-home essay on a topic of his choice and the final was 100 multiple choice questions. He is not tricky and he doesn't treat this class like a critical thinking class. I found it to be very easy and he was a great lecturer! I highly recommend him for a fun and easy Area F requirement - no math and no hard stuff.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Sep 2006
Just go over the study guide... study your notes (or someone elses). It's best to study in a group. He lectures ALOT and you have to take LOTS of notes... or take turns with a friend, thats what i did. Easy to pass... the final exam especially is easy. He is extremely passionate about aviation. If you are too then you will love his classes.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jun 2007
You can't help but love this old guy. He's got a great sense of humor and has a real passion for teaching. He might not be the greater lecturer, but his enthusiasm for the subject more than makes up for it. Just wait until he describes the barnstormers...I couldn't stop laughing for the rest of the class! Tests are real easy if you study your notes and just know the general things. He doesn't test on a whole bunch of dates and stuff. The timelines are more for you knowing what happened before what. Definitely recommend taking this professor. He only has one midterm and one final 50% each. And he doesn't require you to buy any texts. He just tests on what he lectures about. I got a 90 and 89 so my average was a 89.5, but he rounded that up to an A-.


Junior
B
General Ed
Aug 2007
This class is easy and interesting and the teacher is soooo nice! His enthusiasm is most definitely contagious.


Junior
B
General Ed
Jul 2008
This class has no book and no homework. I wish this man was my grandfather. (He coordinates his ties to the days lecture). He has such a passion for the subject matter.He also is an actual pilot. He presents the mateial in an interesting funny way by telling stories and including personal anticdotes- he also shows a lot of movies. Honestly if you attend class, listen when you are there and review your notes before the exams you will be good to go. He is the kind of guy that wants you to suceed and enjoy what you are learning. I had no idea what a cool history aviation has.


Senior
A
General Ed
Aug 2008
Wright Leapheart (what an aviator name!) is a wonderful professor. He gets really into his subject and wears cute little ties everyday with planes on them of somesort. Iam a psychology major and I loved this class, he has a lot of history and knowledge, you wont be dissapointed!


Senior
B
Elective
Aug 2008
Wright is the man. He is funny and keeps the class entertaining. I took it over this past summer and the 5 weeks went by fast. The tests are easy if you go to class and pay attention. I missed a good amount of class but still pulled a B.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Oct 2008
I wish this man was my Grandfather.


Senior
N/A
General Ed
Nov 2008
What a wonderful man, I could've taken this class a whole year and would have never been bored.


Senior
A
General Ed
Feb 2009
I have to say I was really surprised by this class. I had not taken a class in 10 years and I had no prior knowledge of avaition and hate history but, heard that this class was fun. So, I thought what the heck I'll try it. Mr. Leaphart was funny and told great stories! It was the most interesting class I have ever taken. If you attend class, take notes and find a buddy to study with you'll do great! The tests are not hard - if you listen in class and study your notes, you'll pass! And the best part is that there is no book! Oh, and it was cool that his ties coordinated with the dialy topic. All I can say is if you follow his tips you will be successful. It was truly an awesome class and I highly recommend it!


Senior
A
General Ed
Mar 2009
I wish this man was my father.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jul 2009
Professor Leaphart was an awesome instructor. He seemed less like a lecturerer and more like a mentor. He brought his experience as a teacher, U.S. Army officer and private pilot to the class ---- quite interesting stories. Professor Leaphart lectures a lot and does not interact much with the students during lectures; presumably because he is hard of hearing. So remember to speak up when asking questions. This is an easy class because: 1) Prof. Leaphart is THE MAN and can teach 2) There are only 2 tests - Midterm (somewhat easy) and final (piece of cake) 3) NO HOMEWORK!!! - None/ZERO!!!. Just remember to show up (or get someone's notes) and study for the tests. I only spent about 3 hours studying the entire quarter! But I served in the Air Force which gave me a SMALL boost. Take this class if you can; you'll do fine.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jun 2011
Every 2 hour lecture is filled with an hour and a half of him talking at you (be sure to write down every word because even the most random facts show up on the midterm) and a half hour of videos. If your notes are good and you memorize them you'll be fine, but if you miss a class make sure you get someone else's notes or you're screwed for the exam.


Junior
B
General Ed
Jun 2011
Best class I've ever taken.


Senior
A
General Ed
Jul 2011
If you need an area F be sure to take this class because all the other area F's are horrible. I'm a guy who likes planes and WWII stuff so this material was easy to learn. I went to the class the first day, once before the midterm, midterm day, and the final. So i went four times for the whole quarter. I do not recommend this unless you get quality notes from someone else. I was able to get typed notes and other typed notes from past quarters as well. There are no powerpoint slides or anything on BB so you must get the material from class as well as the handouts. The midterm was not easy if you didn't know the material. It consisted of 80 MC and an essay portion were you basically write a timeline biography of either Earhart, Wright bros, or Lindbergh. The final was a common final with all of the class sections. Same format but you had to write about your ten favorite planes and ten favorite people in aviation. There is a 2% EC opportunity if you visit and aviation museum. As for the teacher, i didn't go very much but he was the man. The class is boring but he does his best. In summary, be sure to go to class and take good notes or get them from someone else. If you don't know the material well you won't do good on the tests. I got a 94% on the first test and studied a fair amount and i got a 97 on the final. Most people probably got B's. Getting a B in this class is like getting a C in another class so don't blow it.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jun 2012
This was the best class i have taken at cal poly. Go to class, since he makes it enjoyable. The midterm and final are easy,especially if you took decent notes and watched the in-class films.


5th Year Senior
A
Elective
Dec 2012
AERO 310 is easily the best Area F elective you can take. The class consists of a midterm (50% of grade), non-cumulative final (50% of grade), and optional extra credit paper (worth up to 3%). Each day in class is just lecture using powerpoint, videos, and overhead projector slides. Sometimes the class does get a little boring, even for someone like me who enjoys aviation. Leaphart is a nice guy. He mixes personal stories and stories about the material into lecture so that it isn't completely monotonous. The two tests consist of 80 multiple choice questions (80% of test pts) and 20% "essay" questions. He sens you solid study guides and supplementary handouts that are all you need (along with the notes) to study for the tests. On the midterm, the essay is to recreate a timeline of one of the aviators that you go over in detail during lecture. The essay for the final is to write a sentence or two about each of your top 10 favorite aircraft and top 10 favorite people in aviation. As long as you show up and take decent notes, you will have a hard time doing poorly in this class, as the tests are easy and Leaphart grades pretty easy on the essay portion. If you can find someone who took the class before and has pretty good notes, get them, because then you don't really even have to take notes in class. I definitely recommend taking this class: good teacher, no homework, easy tests, extra credit opportunity (go to an aviation museum and write a page about it), and material more interesting than what you'll find in most elective classes.


Senior
N/A
General Ed
Nov 2013
I took his lecture for a GE credit, and loved his class. He does tell great stories, and has high expectations for his students. He graded 420 tests in 4 days: he expects you to work hard, so he does too. Take his class! :)


Senior
B
General Ed
Nov 2013
I took this class because I heard it was an easy GE. But really it was soooo boring and not very easy. The lectures seem so long and its just boring lecturing about planes. I did well on the first midterm but didn't do very well on the final because I got so bored with the class. It is not an easy A. There is so much information to remember. The essays are easy though since you know what they are going to be. And don't be fooled… he DOES change the tests so they aren't the same every quarter… And again it is very very boring. It was painful to sit through the lectures


Senior
N/A
General Ed
Dec 2013
Best area F there is! Take leaphart if you can, hes only teaching fall quarter because he's semi retired but an amazing guy! study notes from quizlet and get over a 90% everytime! study 1 or 2 days before the mid term and final and youll be fine! He was the coolest teacher ever!


Junior
A
General Ed
Dec 2014
Alright, so this class was pretty boring. BUT it is the easiest A you will ever get (if you make friends with the right people). Most of both the midterm (50%) and the final (50%) can be found in quizlets made by previous students. STUDY THOSE. Dr. Leaphart is by far the most adorable professor I have ever had at Cal Poly (he matches his ties to the airplanes covered that day ;)), and he does offer 3% worth of extra credit. If you can, take this class. I ended with a 100.5%….


Junior
A
General Ed
Dec 2014
He's the best!, i actually learned a lot about aviation! if you have good notes this is an easy A. he sends study guides and helpful notes all quarter long


Junior
A
General Ed
Dec 2014
This is by far the easiest area F you can take. I never went to class and just studied other people's notes from online (check quizlet). As on both exams and extra credit for an A in the class. I stopped going to lecture because although he is excited about the material, the way he presents it is incredibly dry and fails to capture your attention. He shows scratchy VHS films from ancient times and talks at you for two hours every day without breaks. It was an awful lecturing style, despite being interesting information.


Senior
A
General Ed
Dec 2014
Mr. Leaphart is very knowledgeable about aviation, and if you are at all interest in a broad overview of all things aviation, take this class. The course is easy enough if you show up to lecture, which a lot of people failed to do. There is no homework, only a midterm and final, and it is all based off of his lecture. There is also an easy extra credit assignment, so don't forget to do that.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jun 2015
Dr. Wright knows his class is an easy A. He addressed this fact on the first day of class, and said that he's perfectly okay with that. However, because it's so easy, students stop showing up, and he does get frustrated with lack of presence. When this starts to happen, he will give pop quizzes. This happened in our class, but he ended up not counting it. He sends out a study guide with questions that will be on both the midterms and the non-cumulative final. Normally, all the answers can be found on Quizlet. I did minimal studying for the midterm and got a 100%. It is the most laidback class I have ever taken, and I am so grateful for that. It's such an easy A, and just an overall GPA booster. The lectures can be kind of dry, as he shows a lot of videos, so bring work for another class while he plays them. So without a doubt, take this class, and reap the GPA boost.

LS 606


Senior
A
Required (Support)
Nov 2016
This is the first C I have recieved in my entire life. I hope that says something to all of you out there watching their GPA. Do not take him--this class was a nightmare!