Version: 2008

Photos: Flapping like a mallard

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An ornithopter Credit: Institute for Aerospace Studies
No jet engine, no propeller. This ornithopter, designed by James DeLaurier and researchers at the University of Toronto's Institute for Aerospace Studies, is designed to fly by flapping its wings.

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Esta muy bien...
by December 3, 2004 8:03 AM PST
Pero vuela o no esa huevada?
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The Problem remains the same...
by cyberpoet December 3, 2004 2:18 PM PST
What happens when a flapping object flaps? The center
moves up and down in response to the wings moving in the
opposite direction. Try to land and the center section keeps
slapping up and down against the runway as it comes in,
making for a very, very rough landing by comparison to a
powered glide path. Hmmm... This falls into the same
realm as the concept of airship cranes -- nice in concept,
but impractical in implimentation for reasons based on
simple physics.

=-= The CyberPoet
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Canadian Dinosaur re-invents mechanical bird
by December 6, 2004 2:21 AM PST
Yup,

From the people who brought Canadians nothing but paying their salaries, we now have ...

THE MECHANICAL BIRD ... lol

University of Toronto is, I believe, just about the stupidest place on earth.
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