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The US has a new wicked stealth fighter
- Thread starter George Hill
- Start date
Bear Flare
New member
These aircraft are known as "Ground Effect" flyers. Every aircraft has vorticies spinning off the wingtips caused by the high pressure lift spilling around the tips. These vorticies suck energy out of the aircraft.
By flying less than one wingspan distance over the ground, the vorticies are broken up and flight is more efficient. You can feel the ground effect when landing in an aircraft. You'll be sinking at a constant rate until you get about half a wingspan-length above ground. At that point you feel like you hit a pillow, and the aircraft settles down very gently. You generally need to pull off the rest of the power and flair, too; or you'll skim along in the ground effect for a LOOONG time.
Flying just off the ground also means you're in the most dense air possible which makes for efficient lift.
Interesting concept.
Bear Flare
By flying less than one wingspan distance over the ground, the vorticies are broken up and flight is more efficient. You can feel the ground effect when landing in an aircraft. You'll be sinking at a constant rate until you get about half a wingspan-length above ground. At that point you feel like you hit a pillow, and the aircraft settles down very gently. You generally need to pull off the rest of the power and flair, too; or you'll skim along in the ground effect for a LOOONG time.
Flying just off the ground also means you're in the most dense air possible which makes for efficient lift.
Interesting concept.
Bear Flare
simon jester
New member
Seems to me it would make a great FAC(Forward Air Controller)I wonder what kind of role that thing would play?