Page 4 - Flight InSight Sep 2018

Birds, bats, and insects regularly outperform man-made aircraft only lighter, but also have much more adaptive structures as well
in aerobatics and handling of unpredictable environments. The as know-how to integrate aerodynamics with changes in wing
SR71 Blackbird jet flying beyond Mach 3 covers about 30 body and body shapes. Birds and insects can fly in environments
lengths per second. But a common pigeon flying at 50 miles with gusts traveling at speeds comparable to their own, yet they
per hour covers 75. The roll rate of an aerobatic plane is about can react and adjust instantaneously with their flexible wings to
720 degrees per second, while the roll rate of a barn swallow remain airborne through wind, rain, and snow. Depending on
exceeds 5,000 degrees per second. Select military aircraft their sizes, many birds run or jump in addition to flapping wings
can withstand gravitational forces of 8-10 G, yet many birds to take off. When landing, with reduced speed, birds often extend
routinely experience positive G-forces greater than 10 and up and spread their wings and tail to maintain lift and to enhance
to 14 G. maneuverability. Insects, on the other hand, have more wing
structural flexibility but little direct, active control of their shapes
Natural flyers obviously have some highly developed capabilities and areas. Furthermore, birds and insects can adjust the center
that have yet to be incorporated in engineering. They are not of gravity by tilting their tails.

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