h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I felt a bit bad, asking you to pull the ornithopter entry from Peer Review... for now, Tumsup. So, I thought I'd come by and just leave a 'No hard feelings' message.

I lurked about in your discussion with the Rev, Lady E, et al, though, and learned that we're probably even more alike than even your PS message would indicate. I even have a son of my own about to enter the world of teaching, and I'm equally stuffed with pride about it.

It was great to read the bits between you and Rev. Obviously a discussion between the oh-so-rare rational and reasonable men.

I also love inventing, and also have never sold anything (although my inventions always seem to show up on the market in a few months!).

Good luck with the inventing and the entry!

Just got back from the land beyond internet. Once you get used to talking on this thing, it's surprising how you miss it.

I agree that the ornithopter entry needs to be pulled from Peer Review. The big reason that it's not so far working is that I haven't so far seen clearly to the end of the ornithopter version that I'm working on. The good news is that by trying to express the idea here has caused me to think about it in fresh ways. I've made the first real advances in the design in years. I no longer have the same sense of despair that it will not happen in my lifetime. I might even get to fly around in one of these things.

Thanks for that.

Wow! So you're actually going to build one?! That's just fantastic!

Sorry for all the !s, but news like that requires them.

I presume that you are familiar with the Dirk Gently stories, even if you haven't gotten around to reading them. If you have, you'll no doubt recall Richard telling his old professor how much one learns when trying to teach a dumb student or simple computer.

Expressing oneself on a subject always seems to do that. It certainly has worked for me.

I shall eagerly look for news of your airborne successes!

When my kids were small, they would ask me things like 'How does a radio work?' Things like that always caught me flat footed, not because I didn't know, but because the way I learned it was way too complex for a littl'un to get. If I ever get grandkids, I'll know what to say. It's taken me all these years to realize that many things are not that complicated; it's just the official explanation that is.

The best way to learn something well is to teach it.

I'm going to start by making a radio controlled flapper. Someone will give me a million or so to make the big version.

Funny thing is, no matter how I try, I can't think how one could militarize it. I don't have to worry about losing it to the Army the way Ken Cockerel lost the hovercraft.

You're certainly correct about teaching kids. I've learned mounds by keeping myself involved in my son's education.

I'm not so certain that the military would be disinterested in your design.

One might presume that a 'flapper', would also have to have a great glide ratio, especially for landings. As the power source would likely be inside, and the wings quieter than propellers, jets, or rotary wings, I can see stealth applications for the military, especially for night work.

I'm told that variable pitch heliocopters are capable of unusual stunts like loops, but I'd like to think that a 'flapper' could also hover and do loops and rolls.

Don't let that deter you!

A Stirling engine makes no noise at all and, since the wings are also silent, there would be obvious stealth applications. The downside from a military point view would be that, since such engines require huge radiator surfaces, they would glow like great lanterns in the infrared. Easy for cheap missiles to track. Stirling engines also must contain extremely high pressures so would be very vulnerable to attack by even small calibre arms.

Some seemingly complex problems can be solved with simple solutions. What do you think about powering such a craft with a tightly wound rubberband?

I once owned just such an ornithopter. It was only 20cm long. It would be fun to scale it up to see if a big one would fly. Maybe put a crank in the cockpit to keep winding the bungee on transatlantic flights.

Or scale it really big so the people in first class can complain to the flight attendant about that loud chuffing noise coming from the cheap seats.

OMG

I spoke with Robert Hooke, and he suggested spring power. But then, he always suggests spring power.