Re: Scaling problems in Hutchinson 2004

[MICHAEL HABIB <habib@jhmi.edu>]

> >  For example, large birds presumably get more thrust per stroke, 
> but they also have to generate more lift (and may have to expend 
> proportionally more energy to recover strokes quickly).
> 
> I'm not quite sure what you mean by "recover strokes quickly".  If 
> you are referring to the relative portion of the beat period that 
> is spent in the downstroke versus the upstroke, that is generally 
> chosen such that the specific power of the levitator muscles 
> (Watts/gram weight of muscle) is about equal to that of the 
> depressor muscles.

That is indeed what I meant; I was a little tired when I wrote that post.  
Thanks for the response.

"Continuous speed (as opposed to burst speed) in flying vertebrates is usually 
going to be primarily (but not totally) a function of wingloading and optimal 
CL (which is a function of planform)."

Thanks very much; that makes sense.  I am, however, also interested in burst 
speed mechanics if that there are some refs floating around for that as well.

Cheers,
--Mike Habib