Aerodynamic Properties of Cats Thrown out of Aircraft

[QDMQDMQDM]

Warning to all cat lovers: you might wish to look away now.

Back in the early 80s I remember reading an article in the US Flying magazine about the aerodynamic properties of cats, based on their hair length. Basically, a group of aviators in the USA had been at a loose end at the airport one day so they decided to test the received wisdom that cats could fall from any height and land on their feet. They found that medium-haired cats were likeliest to survive, but that short and long-haired cats were too smooth and fell too fast to survive reliably.

This article would have been around 1981-1984. Anyone got a set of Flying from that era or remember this classic and magnificently un-PC feature? I swear this was not a spoof or April Fool.

This post has been stimulated by my 8-year old's science homework on friction.

Thanks in advance,

David

[IO540]

This is an excellent idea, and I would like to test it with all the neighbouring cats, who pee (and worse) in our garden.

This (http://monster-island.org/tinashumor/humor/catduck.html)is also quite funny, and is in fact a legal means of navigation in a G-reg in Class G.

[jamestkirk]

Lets have a national research project to test the theory.

Cats are at best, domestic rats.

[Chilli Monster]

Give me a cat rather than a dog as a house pet any day.

And if you get your own they tend to stop any others doing anything in your garden - territorial is an understatement ;)

[Cusco]

Another vote for cats as all round good mates and excellent gate guardians:
We've not been without a cat(s) for the last 35 years.
Currently on cat # 13 (we live near a busy road:uhoh:)
Cusco

[jamestkirk]

Try getting friends.













only kidding:O

[sternone]

In a Flemish city called IEPER they used to do that every year since the middle-ages from the biggest tower of the city until the year 1817, in that year one cat surprisely survived the fall of the 62meter tower, wich immediatly led to the stopping of that action. To much people were so surprised the cat survived that they tought witchcraft was involved.

They used to burn a witch also each year after throwing the cats off... so you might include that also after your cat-flight :-)

[jamestkirk]

Keep the cat throwing.

Burning a witch is a bit harsh. Could'nt we just get her to lap dance.

[Lister Noble]

I vote to throw jamestkirk out and see how he likes it;);)
Only kidding, just.
Lister:)

[J.A.F.O.]

I'm all for it. This should be tested, if the cats don't like it then they've only got themselves to blame for spreading all this "nine lives, always land on my feet" hype.

Cats, it's time to put up or shut up - well, jump out or shut up actually.

It's only right they they should be asked to prove it; after all you'd never get a pilot exaggerating their accomplishments, abilities or acheivements. Would you?

[Blues&twos]

Cats are a masterpiece of natural selection. Pure unadulterated malevolence with teeth and claws. Cool.

Once saw this description of the feline train of thought -

"I will ignore you and destroy your furniture for food".

How can you not admire that approach to life?

[muffin]

I remember somewhere reading about an in flight artificial horizon that was based on cats and buttered toast instead of gyros. Both of these are guaranteed to land in one particular orientation, and some clever engineers had used this principle to drive the instrument.

[nano404]

and excellent gate guardians

I may have misread that but I hope your cat doesn't protect your home, if I were a thief and saw a cat, unless it was a lion, jaguar etc. I'd just step on it.:cool:

I'm all for it. This should be tested, if the cats don't like it then they've only got themselves to blame for spreading all this "nine lives, always land on my feet" hype.

Cats, it's time to put up or shut up - well, jump out or shut up actually.

It's only right they they should be asked to prove it; after all you'd never get a pilot exaggerating their accomplishments, abilities or acheivements. Would you?

Yeah! Lets start a campaign:ok::p

[fyrefli]

I remember somewhere reading about an in flight artificial horizon that was based on cats and buttered toast instead of gyros. Both of these are guaranteed to land in one particular orientation, and some clever engineers had used this principle to drive the instrument.

Well, there's this version of a golden oldie:

http://www.geocities.com/slbhill/humour_cats_perpetualmotion.html

[Sir George Cayley]

I'm a sucker for pussies :eek:



coat , door i'm gone


Sir George Cayley

[2close]

I would have thought that educated aviators such as yourselves would be conversant with the fact that CAT I, II and III approaches are all based on the wails from the number of cats suspended beneath the aircraft on a length of rope. When you hear the first moggy you're at 200', when the second feline kicks in with its wailing you're at 100', the third cat's albeit very short screech lets you know you're down at terra firma.

This is true.........honest!!!! Would I lie to you?????

[Mike Cross]

The scientific proof of the buttered toast theory is in fact quite simple.

Normal failure mode is that you have your toast on a plate in one hand and your coffee in another. The coriolis effect causes the plate to tilt as you walk along and the toast slides off. Sliding off the edge of the plate imparts a rotating moment to it which, at the normal toast carrying height of around 3feet allows it to rotate through 0.5 of a revolution before it hits the floor. Carry it at head height and it will land butter side up.

No if you're talking about the Cat Tree and Duck method of blind flying.......

[Genghis the Engineer]

Lets have a national research project to test the theory.

Cats are at best, domestic rats.

A word of advice based upon your having made that post.

Never, ever, go flying with (or frankly be in too close proximity to) Whirlybird. You may not live long.

G

[niknak]

Its a well known fact that Cats are far more sensible than any pilot.

Pilots go to great expense and trouble to go enjoy themselves, whereas Cats nearly always have an unlimited supply of affection and self supply with no commitment required.

To sum it up, Pilots get a message and because they know no better, react and obey immediately, whereas Cats will take a message and get back to you.:E

[jamestkirk]

That is sooooo harsh.

Genghis.

I take it whirlybird is a cat lover. Then i take what i said about cats being domestic rats' back. They are at the very least 'vermin'.

Haaaaa! Haaaa! (evil pantomine laugh).

On the bright side, they are a delicacy in some countries.

[Rallye Driver]

Nano

A bit harsh.

Many years ago we had a cat, inherited from our former Greek landlord. We were burgled. But in breaking in the thief had disturbed the cat which was upstairs. She must have jumped off the table in the window, which was her favourite viewing point. The thief heard the noise and thought someone was in the house.

He legged it out through the window he had broken leaving a smelly trainer behind in his haste to escape. This was subsequently presented to Mr Plod, but noone was apprehended.

Nevertheless, the cat saved us from having our possessions sold at some chav car boot sale.

Her eating habits were a bit more selective afterwards, I have to admit.

RD :E

[QDMQDMQDM]

Look, enough of the cat jokes. I am a scientific scholar. Please take this more seriously. Where can I find this article?

[high-hopes]

Christ.... there's people here that would report you for getting a free PPL flight as a threat to the community.

But torturing a small innocent creature.... That's perfectly acceptable ! :sad:

[nano404]

Nevertheless, the cat saved us from having our possessions sold at some chav car boot sale.

At least you'd know where to look?

Her eating habits were a bit more selective afterwards, I have to admit.

Many cats eat better than their owners. Little queens they think they are.

[BeechNut]

Dog musing about owner: "Hmm, he feeds me, he pets me, he plays with me. He must be God"

Cat musing about owner: "Hmm, he feeds me, he pets me, he plays with me. I must be God"

I'm a dog lover. Mrs. Beechnut is a cat lover. Guess kind of pet we have at home? Enuf said...

[OpenCirrus619]

...they are a delicacy in some countries

Check out: How to Eat Cats (http://www.ooze.com/ooze13/cats.html) :eek:

Apparently the site is related to the charity PWEETA - People Who Enjoy Eating Tasty Animals :yuk:

OC619

P.S. Watch this for about 5 secs.... :sad:
http://www.ooze.com/ooze13/images/cats/cat-smalleat.gif

[Laundryman]

Thanks to modern technology and vertical sky diving wind tunnels you can now re-use your cat for several experiments.
I suspect nano404 would not be a very successful thief stepping on a cat results in an inordinate amount of noise far exceeding that given by your average house alarm.

[2close]

Look, enough of the cat jokes. I am a scientific scholar. Please take this more seriously. Where can I find this article?
Okay, he's thrown his teddy out of the pram, so now onto teddy bear jokes!;)
Seriously, David, I would try US AOPA. Give it a shot yourself at www.aopa.org. There is a wealth of knowledge there and I've always found them very helpful.
HTH
2close

[jamestkirk]

That's beautiful!

I really like this thread

[2close]

Open Cirrus, your graphic reminds me that many years ago my cousin had a pet goldfish which he loved very much. He also had a brother whose nom de plume was 'Harry the B*stard' and who he managed to upset. Cousin got up one morning to find goldfish at bottom of bowl, held firmly in place with a table fork :{ - at least he didn't eat it!! :sad:

[javelin]

How to confuse a Cat..............

1. Very carefully, and with love, hold cat. Sloooowwly turn upside down and hold against the ceiling...... after 5 secs, cat is happy in new environment and looks around. Now drop cat onto suitable soft surface and watch first law apply - it will land feet first.

2. Later, when cat trusts you again, tie supermarket bag gently to cat's tail. Now, lightly startle the cat. Cat will run, bag inflates, startles cat. Cat runs, bag inflates, startles cat - repeat.

Oh, how we have enjoyed our feline companions :ok:

[FakePilot]

My cat is awesome, although he likes neurotic afriskyiation.

Maybe we should start a "picture of our pussy, er, cat" thread?

[Blues&twos]

Javelin, I accidentally startled our cat once whilst she was playing in a plastic carrier bag. Moggie took off like a rocket, into the bathroom with the carrier bag handle caught round her neck. Into the (full) bath, back out, round the flat twice with the plastic bag now full of water, soaked the whole place before somehow climbing a smooth vertical wall and escaping, still trailing the bag, out of an upstairs window.

I could barely breathe for laughing.

Surprisingly, she is still with us 13 years later.

[javelin]

I would have paid to see that performance !

[Twiddle]

When I was a kid my sister and I shaved the end off our cats tail with Dads philishave to see what colour the cats skin was.Anyhow, sod the cats skin, the shaving rash my dad got was something that had to be seen to be believed!!We also cut the whiskers off on one side to test whether cats really did use their whiskers to judge gaps...We loved that cat...

[Whiskey Kilo Wanderer]

In answer to the original question, the information you are seeking was in the BAX Seat column of the Flying Magazine, written by the late Gordon Baxter (a.k.a. Bax).

It is also in a collection of the Bax magazine column pieces in book form:
More BAX Seat – New Logs of a Pasture Pilot

pm if you need to borrow my copy.

Safe Flying,
Richard W.

[rotorboater]

The link below is usefull to help work out how far a cat can travel and what the best angle of attack is! :O

http://www.funny-games.biz/kitten-cannon.html