Aerodynamic Aspects of Animal Flight

Abstract

A lecture or a course of lectures on ‘Aircraft’ would put approximately equal emphasis on aerodynamic, structural and power-plant aspects; whereas lectures on ‘Aerodynamics of Aircraft’ would concentrate principally on aerodynamic matters while referring to just the basic elements of what limitations are imposed by structural and power-plant considerations. Similarly this lecture on the ‘Aerodynamic Aspects of Animal Flight’ will concentrate on the aerodynamic forces, and the resulting dynamic interactions, between the movements of a flying animal relative to the air and the associated air movements; and include only brief references to fundamental limitations imposed by the strength and stiffness of the skeleton of the animal and other structural considerations, or by the power-plant capabilities of the animal’s musculature and metabolism. Equally it will give only a highly condensed account (see section on Evolution) of the biologically fundamental questions of how systems for animal flight evolved in response to environmental demands and opportunities.