Sustained Flight: Life on the Wing Flight on Earth A Teacher Workshop Instructor: Phil Rossoni Date: October 8th, 2004 Location: Paxton Center School, Paxton, MA
		There are two modes which can be used for sustained flight: powered flight where the energy must come from within the airframe and soaring flight where the energy for flight is external to the airframe. Origins of Sustained Flight: The Pterosaurs existed from 228 to 65 million years ago and were neither dinosaurs nor avians but are classified as reptiles. True powered (flapping) flight evolved only 3 times in vertibrates with the Pterosaurs coming first, followed by birds and then bats. Vertibrate Flight Exhibit at UCMP Meteorology for Soaring Flight: What different kinds of rising air do birds and glider pilots use to fly long distances without expending energy?      References:      Description of bird soaring flight: http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Birds/flight-soaring-land.html      Description of soaring flight in a glider: http://ssa.org/AboutGliding.asp What happens when you can't find any more rising air?      Rising air is not always present. Even so, raptors use thermals and ridge lift to migrate thousands of miles every year. For humans in gliders, soaring flight is largely a sport demanding a high degree of flying skill. In the case of walkalong gliders, the lift is positioned by the pilot (pilot remotely controls glider) under the glider as the pilot follows in the glider's flight path.      References:      Note the Osprey make headway only on good soaring days:      Follow Osprey Migrations via Satellite: http://www.birdsofprey.org/migration.htm Back to Paxton teacher workshop home page Copyright Phil Rossoni 10/7/2004