Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 14:05:03 -1000 From: ahclem0013@aol.com (AhClem0013) Message-Id: <340hff$lit@search01.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Re: Newbie to rec.kites says hello... In article , gilchgw@zoology.washington.edu (George W. Gilchrist) writes: hello Welcome aoxomoxoa = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 04:53:49 -1000 From: gilchgw@zoology.washington.edu (George W. Gilchrist) Message-Id: Organization: Dept. of Zoology, University of Washington Subject: Newbie to rec.kites says hello... Howdy, all. I'm new to rec.kites and thought I would introduce myself. I've been flying stunt kites for a bit over a year now, especially during this summer (post-40th birthday...draw your own conclusions). I have a couple of Prisms (a Macro Ion and an Eclipse), a Goblin, and the beat-up old Skynosaur that got me started flying. I'm a biologist by trade (post-doctoral researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle while looking for a real job), with some professional knowledge about plant and animal airfoils and the mechanics of flapping flight. I've greatly enjoyed lurking on the discussions during the past week and have certainly learned a lot. I'll contribute what little I know when I can. Cheers, George W. Gilchrist gilchgw@zoology.washington.edu = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 1 Sep 1994 19:53:48 -1000 From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-Id: Organization: /usr/lib/news/organisation Subject: Re: Newbie to rec.kites says hello... gilchgw@zoology.washington.edu (George W. Gilchrist) writes: >Howdy, all. I'm new to rec.kites and thought I would introduce myself. I've >been flying stunt kites for a bit over a year now, especially during this >summer (post-40th birthday...draw your own conclusions). Nothing unusual there. Lots of wrinkly old fliers in this group... >with some professional knowledge about plant and animal airfoils and the >mechanics of flapping flight. Now there's an interesting speciality. I wonder what the "Flapping flight" knowledge might bring us. First thought is more realistic movements in bird and butterfly kites. Second thought is an indoor kite that will fly more efficiently on "pumping" and won't require any runnng around. Andrew -- Kite jumping is for morons. If you want to fly, get a hang-glider. Netiquette-of-the-day: Think twice before posting! You can FTP the kite FAQ's from ftp.hawaii.edu (directory /pub/rec/kites/faq) It is generally accepted that the ravings of Frank Kenisky should be ignored. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 2 Sep 1994 02:35:51 -1000 From: gilchgw@zoology.washington.edu (George W. Gilchrist) Message-Id: Organization: Dept. of Zoology, University of Washington Subject: Re: Newbie to rec.kites says hello... In article andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) writes: ... >Now there's an interesting speciality. I wonder what the "Flapping flight" >knowledge might bring us. First thought is more realistic movements in >bird and butterfly kites. Second thought is an indoor kite that will >fly more efficiently on "pumping" and won't require any runnng around. Andrew, Flapping flight is pretty nasty stuff from an aerodynamics point of view. Some mechanisms, such as the clap-and-fling (clapping the wings together at the top of upstroke, then peeling them apart from anterior to posterior so that air has to flow into the growing space between them) work by generating circulation around the wing as it moves through the air. At lower Reynolds numbers, this generates significantly more lift during the first portion of the downstroke than a fixed airfoil. At higher Re (>80,000), the differences are minor. Now kites in ~ still air are pretty low Re devices, so perhaps something of this sort could generate enough additional lift to be useful indoors. Other mechanisms (for example, hovering flight) generate vortex rings around which air circulates, creating an updraft in the center of the ring on which the animal can "glide". Smoke rings are vortex rings with the smoke trapped in the core of the ring. I'll leave it to your imagination as to how one might use a kite that created its own updrafts! Cheers, George = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =