On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:09:14 +1200, "Geopelia" <phildoran@xtra.co.nz>
wrote in alt.atheism
"Michael Gray" <fleetg@newsguy.spam.com> wrote in message
news:e4a4b2hhdi53tqcduatofkc3sidk8gabq6@4ax.com...
On Sun, 09 Jul 2006 21:46:27 -0700, stoney <stoney@the.net> wrote:
- Refer: <gpm3b2lh4kumu1shnh7kmbsbo7u1gmu10s@4ax.com>
(snip)
DEBRA BLACK
STAFF REPORTER
For an aeronautical engineer it was the perfect day and a perfect end to
a quest that has consumed his life for more than 30 years.
Yesterday Dr. James DeLaurier, an aeronautical engineer and professor
emeritus at the University of Toronto's Institute for Aerospace Studies,
fulfilled a lifelong dream, seeing his manned mechanical flapping-wing
airplane, or ornithopter, fly - a dream first imagined by Leonardo da
Vinci.
And with the successful flight DeLaurier has been lucky enough to touch
what many describe as the Holy Grail of aeronautical design, achieving a
place for himself, his team of volunteers and students in aviation
history.
(snip)
A bird and a plane fly in the same way, by the lift from the difference in
airflow over a curved wing. If the air moves fast enough, the bird or plane
will fly.
It doesn't matter how the wing is propelled through the air, by propeller,
jet engine or the outer wing flapping. Or, as with the albatross, by simply
holding the wings at various angles in the Southern Ocean gales. And the
hang glider flies with no engine at all, if the wind is strong enough.
The ornithopter is an interesting idea - for slow speeds only. It would be
difficult to design a wing joint capable of surviving jet flight speeds.
You missed the point. The point was to have something be piloted which
utilized the concept. It was a complete success.
Good luck to the inventor, though.
The inventor retired on a high note.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
