Name: Kristyn A.
Status: Student
Age: 17
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: June 2004
Question:
I am doing a math project in which I need to apply how a
conic ellipse affects paragliders. I cannot find any such information on
the web and was wondering if you could provide me with some useful
information. I'd like to know why ellipses are needed for paragliders and
how the size and shape effect the flight of paragliders.
Replies:
I do not know how conic ellipses affect paragliders. The question is not
clear.
The only thing I can imagine is that a paraglider has a certain shape when
it is flying. That shape might be similar to part of a conic ellipse.
The actual shape of a paraglider is determined by its construction and the
length of the suspension lines. Thus there is nothing intrinsically
mathematical about a paraglider.
The effect of shape on flight is the realm of aerodynamics. That is very
complicated!
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