bertusgeert 1 #1 December 6, 2004 I see that most wingsuits has a curved leading edge that sweeps back like jets. I dont know when where and how, but with airplanes they realized that swept wings work better for some planes, straight edge better for others. I'm not sure what the determining speed is. Why would it not be advantageous to have a "straight edge"? It would increase your surface area would it not? Is it to hard to maintain that shape during flight? Probably a retarded question from an unexperienced child, but rmember, children needs their questions answered too! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 December 6, 2004 In computer graphics, they call this the "Jesus" pose. It's the default pose for most characters when no animation is applied. Anyway, I think it's mostly a bio-mechanical thing. Arms simply weren't built to take the type of strain that long of a wingspan would produce. Beyond that, there's an issue of what happens with the wings during deployment. All that fabric has to go somewhere and if you had a wing that allowed for a "Jesus" pose with the trailing edge running from wrist to foot I think you'd have a good chance of not being able to get around it to deploy. (This from personal experience with my camera wings which are almost too big.)quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #3 December 6, 2004 Mmm.. images-3.jpg is kinda cute.. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ph8068 0 #4 December 6, 2004 In addition, a lot of wing high up your body would generate a lot of lift high up your body. This may cause your centre of lift to be too high, and so may prevent you from getting that slightly nose-down attitude from the horizon which will give you a decent forward speed. Just thoughts from theory and not much experience though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,030 #5 December 6, 2004 QuoteMmm.. images-3.jpg is kinda cute.. t Rather like this one: www.freak-brother.com/... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,030 #6 December 6, 2004 QuoteI see that most wingsuits has a curved leading edge that sweeps back like jets. I dont know when where and how, but with airplanes they realized that swept wings work better for some planes, straight edge better for others. I'm not sure what the determining speed is. Why would it not be advantageous to have a "straight edge"? It would increase your surface area would it not? Is it to hard to maintain that shape during flight? Probably a retarded question from an unexperienced child, but rmember, children needs their questions answered too! I'm unclear on your meaning. Do you mean curved leading edge like, say, a parabola or arc of an ellipse, or do you mean in the sense that the leading edge of the left and right wings are swept back rather than being perpendicular to the body?... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leroydb 0 #7 December 6, 2004 i think he means a leading edge like with an iron cross type shape... that would be to much strain on the armsLeroy ..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bertusgeert 1 #8 December 6, 2004 Quote I'm unclear on your meaning. Do you mean curved leading edge like, say, a parabola or arc of an ellipse, or do you mean in the sense that the leading edge of the left and right wings are swept back rather than being perpendicular to the body? Yep, as you said lastly. Quade pretty much answered my question. Look at robert...his arms are "swept back" if you look at him from above or underneath (in flight). I was asking why the designs don't allow you to extend your arms upwards, equaling more surface area. But as several have said, I can completely see how it would be VERY uncomfortable. Another issue arises. The center of lift compared to the c of g. If you look at a wingsuit in flight from the side, i bet that your center of lift for your wings would be somewhere between your Xyphoid Process and your bellybutton. The center of lift from your leg-area would be right at the top of the black upside-down V on roberts suit. now... HOW MUCH lift both of these generate I do not know... but if you add them together, your center of lift would be close to your crotch. Your center of gravity? Well I bet that your chest and head contributes a whole lot of weight forward of your center of lift, close to your ribcage. So why doesn't a wingsuit pilot go drastically head low? I'm sure this has been thought of MANY a time, but I don't know the answer yet, so enlighten me please! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #9 December 6, 2004 Swept wings are only helpful on airplanes that are close to supersonic. Otherwise swept wings just create a lot of structural, stability, control, etc problems. The center of gravity of most humans is near their belt buckle, so wingsuits should be balanced around the belt, with a bit more surface area below to tilt you slightly head down, to create forward drive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
