Re: Pterosaur take-off visualization aid

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

Either Mike Habib, John Conway, or I could comment, but basically we all 
agree that the hop, skip, and jump isn't necessary nor beneficial (though a 
lightly loaded animal could do it for the fun of it if he wished).  The two 
main things I notice are that in the sketch series, the hindlimbs are not 
reoriented to flight position soon enough, so that in the sketches,  the 
uropatagium isn't contributing to supporting the hindlimbs early in the 
launch. And secondly, the hindlimbs aren't shown as contributing to the 
phased power production in the launch cycle that would be required during 
launch of more heavily loaded pterosaurs.  The sketch as shown, would make 
for a very inefficient but not impossible launch cycle.
JimC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matthew Martyniuk" <martyniuk@gmail.com>
To: "DML" <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 8:18 AM
Subject: Re: Pterosaur take-off visualization aid


> Speaking of visualizing a pterosaur launch, this diagram recently
> appeared in Popular Science...
> http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii242/deinonychus_empire/PopSciPterosaurArticle.jpg?t=1237505691
>
> Jim can probably comment on its accuracy, but it looks in line with
> what I've read. Aside from the weirdly bat-like wing of course ;)