Birds and Aeros
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Norfolk UK
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Arc,
Had my first gliding lesson this afternoon,towed by a Robin (big birds in Norfolk!) to 2000 feet and total flight time 24 mins.We did general handling including steep turns and stalls.
It was bloody marvellous,a bit like the Cub to fly,I flew from when we dropped the tow until just before touchdown,the instructor worked the airbrake.
I might go again tomorrow weather permitting!
Lister
Had my first gliding lesson this afternoon,towed by a Robin (big birds in Norfolk!) to 2000 feet and total flight time 24 mins.We did general handling including steep turns and stalls.
It was bloody marvellous,a bit like the Cub to fly,I flew from when we dropped the tow until just before touchdown,the instructor worked the airbrake.
I might go again tomorrow weather permitting!
Lister
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: In a place where I dont have to fly for food.
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I have had birds of prey formate while I am soaring in a thermal. Its a great sight to look over your shoulder and see one just off the wing tip.
) do very respectable lazy eights when chasing insects.
Join Date: Oct 2005
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It wasn't a bird, but I watched a housefly make it all the way across the atlantic a few days ago. Not only did it go the distance, but did so while evading multiple attemps to reconfigure it as a sheet of paper. Now that's impressive.
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Norfolk
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and one of them repeatedly rolled inverted underneath the other.
Our formation display has the top aircraft roll inverted on the down 45 line and #2 slide into mirror, Lead calls "push" as he transitions to inverted S& L. This way they both see each other and #2 knows when to expect to pull.
Doing it blind would be "weigh too dangerous"
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Norfolk U.K.
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Unlike your Pitts they do have the advantage of being able to look straight down (or up if inverted)! Some years back I watched a Crow land on a fence post in a VERY strong wind. It was actually flying backwards with respect to the ground, and looking down between its legs to keep the post in view. Suffice to say it made a perfect landing. Clever b*ggers, birds.....
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fife.UK.married,2 kids
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Harriers (feathered variety) roll inverted as part of the feeding routine. The female stays on or close to the nest whilst the male hunts. When he returns with prey she takes off, he positions below and rolls. She then takes the prey from his talons and returns to base. So not just aeros but air to air refuelling too. My own favourites are fulmars, not particularly aerobatic but absolute control mastery. Watch them slope soaring along a cliff edge, they change aspect ratio and chord length of each wing independently and drop their feet as differential air brakes for control in yaw only. You can also see how close to the stall they fly as the upper wing feathers just ruffle at times as the airflow begins to become turbulent.
Join Date: Oct 1999
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Didn't some University build a model Seagull and flew aeros with it in the midst a flock of real gulls to see if they would start to mimic the behavior.
I seem to recall it was the same mob that built a model pterodactyl.
I seem to recall it was the same mob that built a model pterodactyl.
