Re: Steering

[Betty Cunningham <bettyc@flyinggoat.com>]

Jim's mention of the use of the tail to control of yaw and pitch is very
likely directly related to this "confer stability and control and
provide a means of augmenting the lift"

I have not read the article but I bet you that is what is being referred
to.

-Betty

Patrick Norton wrote:
> My friend JimC, who knows much more about this than do I, said:
> 
> >For the most part, modern birds (like airplanes), don't generally use their
> tails for "steering".<
> 
> I'd be interested in Jim's (and others) thoughts about Adrian Thomas'
> findings (Bioscience, 4/97) that: "Bird tails confer stability and control
> and provide a means of augmenting the lift of the wings to reduce the cost
> of low-speed flight and increase turning performance".  Lots of other
> interesting stuff in Thomas' article as well.
> 
> Pat

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