More of the Same......some high number
Nostone, you are right in both what you say and the thoughts behind it. Agood point in stressing about the increase in lift due to stopping the rate of descent, which of course produces greater ground effect, though I think we all agree that with rotors high mounted, as they are, as opposed to low wings on an ac, the effect would be barely noticeable, especially in the mayhem that is usually going on then.
As Crab said, the pressure argument is really what has kept this topic going, and I note it has all gone quiet on the "pressure has nothing to do with ground effect" campaign. As you seem to appreciate pressure is the be all and end all of aerodynamics, OK viscosity, and density play there parts too. It is after all pressure differences that give us the lift we all seek to attain.
Vorticey, the tip vortex is if you like the result of the pressure differential between top and bottom of a wing, the average difference must be the same to produce the same lift. What the ground does is even out this pressure difference moving more of the lift to the tips, so effectively increasing aspect ratio which in turn slightly reduces the vortices.
Tail bloater, ground effect is present with any type of lifting wing, and of course for a very slow eol there will be no translational lift.
Last edited by DeltaFree; 26th Nov 2002 at 19:37.