What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

[yllus]

(The original question posed by this thread has been answered.)

 

[lokiju]

Is it an African swallow?

 

[dennilfloss]

Or a European swallow?

 

[Canai]

3

 

[NikolaeVarius]

42 kph. Give or take 50.

 

[FoBoT]

http://www.style.org/unladenswallow/update/

I re-ran things using the same method and selection criteria we applied in the paper ? that is, pick on the single set of measurements cited as being from the most efficient, or lowest power speed. Assuming that this corresponds to the flight speed giving the minimum wingbeat frequency, which is reasonable if there is no other way given of estimating this, we have U as 8.89 m/s for Swallow 1 and 8.86 m/s for Swallow 2, with frequencies of 6.95Hz and 7.07Hz, respectively. The corresponding amplitudes (theta) are approximately 95 and 90 degrees, respectively. Using the formula we give in our paper1 A=b*sin(theta/2) yields estimates of A=0.23m for both swallows, based on spans (b) of 0.318 and 0.328m, respectively. This leads to Strouhal numbers of 0.18 and 0.19, respectively, for the two swallows at the reported minimum power speed, which would fit nicely in the figure in our paper (especially as birds are usually on the low side of the St=0.2-0.4 range anyway).

These findings correspond with an average speed for the two European Swallows in the Lund wind tunnel experiment of 8.8 meters per second, or 20 miles per hour, which is 4 miles per hour slower than my original estimate.

 

[Modular]

"A 4 oz. bird cannot carry a 5 pound coconut!"

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Modular
"A 4 oz. bird cannot carry a 5 pound coconut!"

What if they worked together?

 

[Kelemvor]

It could grip it by the Husk.


Man I haven't watched that movie in a long time...
http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/grail-01.htm

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
It could grip it by the Husk.

It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
It could grip it by the Husk.

It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

That's not true, revise your math. I once carried a one pound coconut and I can't even fly.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: NanoStuff

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
It could grip it by the Husk.

It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

That's not true, revise your math. I once carried a one pound coconut and I can't even fly.

And still no mention of rubber bands!

 

[dingnecros]

how do you so much about sparrows ?

 

[Rastus]

10 lbs. of bulk beef, in an alternator shape, has the glide slope of a grand piano.

 

[ForumMaster]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
It could grip it by the Husk.

It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

But then of course a-- African swallows are non-migratory.

 

[DrPizza]

Suppose two swallows...

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: ForumMaster

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
It could grip it by the Husk.

It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

But then of course a-- African swallows are non-migratory.

Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Suppose two swallows...

Damn.... Pizza shows up. I guess no jokes about my wife and swallows.

 

[imported_Tick]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
42 kph. Give or take 50.

Damn thats a lot of uncertainty. So it's at 8 kph BACKWARDS for some portion of it's flight?

 

[Hyperlite]

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
42 kph. Give or take 50.

Damn thats a lot of uncertainty. So it's at 8 kph BACKWARDS for some portion of it's flight?

give or take.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
42 kph. Give or take 50.

Damn thats a lot of uncertainty. So it's at 8 kph BACKWARDS for some portion of it's flight?

Swallow: "If I hit the brakes, he'll fly right by."

 

[Bill Brasky]

Coconut and swallow are on a treadmill, will they take off?