The latest in transatlantic technology with Virgin

A word from our sponsor:

Submitted by on

Printer-friendly version

Author: 

Blog About: 

See attached video but take note of any numbers you see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ob-5eC8uw

Comments

Thanks

Submitted by on

& a happy april fools day to you too. Another Brian

And of course...

Submitted by on

...the numbers mean something to the whole of the world except...

Like with so many other April fools jokes...

Submitted by on

I wouldn't wonder if that too becomes true one day. While the wing movement itself is a dead giveaway, the concept itself may have some merits. The wings of passanger planes are 'flapping' quite a lot and by using piezo crystals one could harness this energy and convert it to electricity.

--
>> There is not one single truth out there. <<

Not really

Submitted by on

It's fundamentally unworkable. The wings vibrate because the engines are pushing the plane through the air. Any attempt to 'harness' that will impose more drag, and force the engines to work harder. First and second laws of thermodynamics: you can't get owt for nowt, and you can't break even. Think of it as being like a watermill mounted on a motor boat to drive the electrics; in the end, the energy comes from the motor, and you are simply imposing more drag. Perpetual motion machine fallacy.

Ahh but...

Submitted by on

You neglected to look into the engineering behind this new technology. The electrothermoelastopolymer sheeting used in place of the aluminum commonly used for aircraft skin, has properties that make the movement simple, and with the way the new skin surface reacts by compressing when an electrical current is applied, the flapping can be done simply by applying the opposite current to the upper and lower wing surfaces, causing the electrothermoelastopolymer sheeting to expand and contract.

We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

It may be..

Submitted by on

...but I think that 'flubber' is the sound such wings would make.

April what?

Submitted by on

Just love a good leg yank !

Karen

Almost matches San Serife!

Submitted by on

Remember the Guardian's spoof so many years ago? As one whose birthday is 1 April, I ought to be more attuned to these. Unfortunately I did not see this till 3rd so, as is usual, the joke is on me.
Dave

More like this