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Principles
of Flight |
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Objects
can fly because of pressure differences caused by cog dynamics. |
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But
the ruler twists! It only flies straight if you throw it perfectly.
This stumped me from 1983 (when I discovered the ruler test) until 2005
when I started fiddling with the shape of the wing and worked out that
cornering the wing helped a bit... |
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...
but a jagged edge helped even more, also bending the wing into fixed
flaps, in the direction of the spin, helped incredibly well (side view).
This is the pixiwing from the ornithopter I designed in 2005. |
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The jagged edge works like a surfboard's fins, adding stability and stopping it from twisting to the side. A body surf-board forgoes this deliberately to slide across the waves for trick surfing, as does the trick skier rid himself of his fins for the same reason. Treads on a tyre, and the dimples on the golf ball do almost precisely the same thing, using exactly the same principles of pressure to keep traction. |
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Notice
the difference in the 20th century helicopter. This flying jalopy does
not contain its low pressure properly it is constantly fighting to stay
in the air, using up far more energy than a wing that buzzes or spins
on the horizontal axis. Its like trying to stay afloat in a leaky boat by just pumping out the water and not fixing the hole. Very primitive design. But the 20th century is not known for too much efficiency. |
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An
aeroplane has the same energy deficiency problems as the helicopter,
and the copter is far more prone to turbulence. Because the pixiwing
flies within its own cocoon it is shielded from turbulence just like
the golf ball is. The aeroplane needs a large forward momentum to attain
lift, like the gliding goose. If not it will stall. The pixiwing can
only lose spin and slow. It cannot stall. As it slows, it descends,
which spins the wing keeping a minimal amount of lift. Much much safer
in a crash or power cut. In the others you have no chance. The pixiwing
will at least double your time to bail out! Helicopters are terribly prone to capsizing in a gust of wind. Pixiwing is happiest when the wind is blowing strongest. It thrives on turbulence. Its shape just spins faster, giving more stability than before, and with the most lift when the wind is strongest. She just eats up the energy. Even in normal conditions, it is vastly superior. Its only short coming would be top end. (Or battery overload!) You are not going to break the sound barrier with your ruler very easily are you? But as for a comfortable flight, a safe flight, a fuel efficient flight, and flying in dangerous conditions : There is just no competition. |
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The
Spitfire won the battle of Britain because its wing had a better shape.
It utilized its ability to turn sharply at low speeds, turning inside
the faster enemy in dogfights. Death by design was never more elegant. |
It
was a better designed aircraft, despite being slower, and having less
power. Because its wide wing allowed it to hang in the air, it had a
perfect strategic advantage. The Germans just could not understand how
their faster more powerful (and expensive!) aircraft, were just being
shot to little bits by the pretty little Spitfire. So long as the Spitfire
pilot held his nerve, he could defend against the enemy by turning inside
him, and attack him, by the exact same maneuver. But he could never
turn and run. That would be suicide. The wolves would run him down.
And if they turned and ran, she would have one shot, and then have to
let them go. However, the red baron had a similar advantage in WWI with the Fokker Triplane against the more powerful British Sopwith Camel, so the Germans were just not thinking about it. Their firepower may have improved massively since ww1, but strategically they had been going backwards. To think clearly you need to be morally pure. Then your purpose will be clear, and then the world becomes a breeze, without even need for war. |
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