FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0846.PDF
SEPTEMBER 13, 1928 THE CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT BY SUPPLEMENTARY AVIETTES OR ALULAS By A. P. THURSTON, M.B.E., D.Sc, M.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S., M.I.A.E.* THE flight of birds has always been an inspiration to mankind, but, during recent years, the enormous success achieved by the flying machine appears to have blinded our eyes to the benefits to« be derived from the. study of natural flight. Consequently, the birds still retain the secret of many of the details of their methods of starting, landing, and gliding leading edge at the outer joint, see Fig. 1. The wings are also provided with a small pinion known as the remicle, situated at the front edge of the wing, but at a greater distance from the body. The bastard wing is formed on the first digit, and the remicle is attached to the tip of the second digit. Dutgnm 6> xtov totes tfj/r /ttrnfr- I Mitueitf -vy* Fig. 1. which it is probable would be of great use to the designers of our aeroplanes. The wings of most flying birds are provided with a small but well-defined auxiliary wing, variously known as the alula or ala spuria or bastard wing, situated above the front * Paper read before the British Association, Glasgow, Sept. 11, 1928. The question naturally arises : What is the special function performed by the bastard or alula wing ? Does it enable a bird to take off or alight, or manoeuvre or soar better ? Does it add to the efficiency or safety of its flight ? Or is it merely the atrophied relic of an obsolete member. Having regard to the fact that the bastard wing and the remicle appear to be late developments of the bird's wing and that Figs. 2, 3 and 4. 782
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
