Re: The ACTUAL flying Microraptor paper in PNAS

["jrc" <jrccea@bellsouth.net>]

I tend to doubt the 3Â.  That's the same L/D ratio as an albatross, and it 
is unlikely that M gui glided that well.
JimC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@umd.edu>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 4:52 PM
Subject: The ACTUAL flying Microraptor paper in PNAS


> Alexander, D.E., E. Gong, L.D. Martin, D.A. Burnham & A.R. Falk. 2010. 
> Model tests of gliding with different hindwing configurations in the 
> four-winged dromaeosaurid Microraptor gui. PNAS 107:2972-2976; 
> doi:10.1073/pnas.0911852107
> Glide angles ranged from 3Â to 21Â with a mean estimated equilibrium angle 
> of 13.7Â, giving a lift to drag ratio of 4.1:1 and a lift coefficient of 
> 0.64.