Re: Campbell's even crazier than a MANIAC? (archeopteryx climbing)

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

> > > If it can fly... it can glide - aside from direct thrust flight 
> > > (rockets,
> > > VToL jets).
> >
> > Agreed.
>
> I beg to disagree. I don't think finches can glide, and I've never seen a 
> bat doing it (granted, my
> experience with bats begins and ends with the grey-headed flying foxes in 
> my backyard). I
> sincerely doubt that hummingbirds can glide either.

Oops. Bats are famous for not gliding, and I bet hummingbirds can't do it 
either -- their wings are seriously tiny; except for the size of the hand, 
they always remind me of tyrannosaur arms. And I had managed to forget that 
the descent phases in the undulating flight of, for instance, small 
passerines are purely ballistic, with the wings completely folded up, rather 
than gliding.

We have been told about gliding helicopters on this list. How fast do they 
need to go to stay above stalling speed when gliding? I have a hard time 
imagining it...