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Old 13th November 2011 | 15:34
  #74 (permalink)  
barit1
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Joined: Feb 2005
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From: flyover country USA
If a hang glider is flying at 20kt in zero wind, it has x kinetic energy. If it suddenly encounters a 20kt tailwind (windshear), it now needs 4x kinetic energy to maintain the same airspeed. Newton says it cannot change inertial velocity instantly, and so a quick dive to convert potential energy is in order.
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