Re:Plasma wings could change the way airplanes are designed ...
by LeifCarrotson on Friday August 26, 2016 @02:07PM
(#12368083)
Consider a helicopter nearly hovering, but moving forward at a walking pace.
To maintain the hover and prevent the helicopter from falling out of the sky, the engines are consuming large amounts of power. To move it forward at a sedate pace only requires a small expenditure of energy to overcome drag.
If it was on wheels, a human could push it across a hangar with little effort. A human definitely could not hold a conventional helicopter in the air by lifting or by pedaling to turn the rotors.
The reactive force lifting the helicopter should not be thought of as drag.
To maintain the hover and prevent the helicopter from falling out of the sky, the engines are consuming large amounts of power. To move it forward at a sedate pace only requires a small expenditure of energy to overcome drag.
If it was on wheels, a human could push it across a hangar with little effort. A human definitely could not hold a conventional helicopter in the air by lifting or by pedaling to turn the rotors.
The reactive force lifting the helicopter should not be thought of as drag.