I saw this segment on TV. The designs were historical and actually
looked as if they might have worked. As ever, though, the whole thing
fails on poor trimming and launch technique. Glider #1 was launched from
a guide wire after it had got up to a decent speed and made a quite
reasonable attempt at flying. Glider #2 was thrown like a typical paper
dart throw -- nose up and not that fast -- from a high balcony and
predictably flew like a brick.
This was just one of many shows where people have made planes that
didn't work because they didn't trim them or fly them correctly (classic
one is slow launch down a slope, pull nose up, stall, "land" and claim
the thing flew)(typical "Junkyard Wars" flight behavior). Its a pity
because I think it should be possible to make those planes fly -- the
wings were the type which were all curved upper surface so weren't that
heavy but at the same time they weren't that robust so wouldn't survive
their first and only trim flight. It gives totally the wrong impression
to the public at large about what's involved in making a plane fly.
At the other end of the spectrum did everyone see the plane powered by a
lot of "AA" batteries? Its like a full size AVA with a pod slung under
the stick fuse to carry the pilot and the motor / batteries, a lot nicer
looking design than the usual ultra-light-weight design used for human
powered experiments. I don't know how useful it would be as a plane but
I know if I were in that thing I'd want a first class spoiler -- it
looked like the first hint of rising are and it would be up and gone!
Martin Usher
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