[Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread Esa Ruoho
internets provides: http://vimeo.com/10476453 We built a wind powered vehicle designed to go *directly* downwind - faster than the wind. This is the first run of our first outing. We intended these first attempts only as shakeout runs. But we ended up doing better than our ultimate goal of twice

[Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW) (continued)

2010-09-21 Thread Esa Ruoho
also: http://www.fasterthanthewind.org/ internets provides: http://vimeo.com/10476453 We built a wind powered vehicle designed to go *directly* downwind - faster than the wind. This is the first run of our first outing. We intended these first attempts only as shakeout runs. But we ended

Re: [Vo]:Bugs and Bombs

2010-09-21 Thread Terry Blanton
On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 8:51 PM, Jed Rothwell jedrothw...@gmail.com wrote: I believe it was Curtis LeMay who favored dropping the second bomb because he felt it was important to get field experience with implosion bombs. He was a charming fellow. I guess that's the kind of person it takes to

Re: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread Jed Rothwell
I do not see how this can work! They are going with the wind, so if they start to travel at the same speed as the wind, the propeller should stop turning. Maybe I am missing something. - Jed

Re: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread Alexander Hollins
well, their own speed would let the prop spin as drag, but it would have to slow down eventually. On Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 10:26 AM, Jed Rothwell jedrothw...@gmail.com wrote: I do not see how this can work! They are going with the wind, so if they start to travel at the same speed as the wind,

RE: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread Jones Beene
Wouldn't you know - they even have a url http://www.fasterthanthewind.org/ -Original Message- From: Jed Rothwell I do not see how this can work! They are going with the wind, so if they start to travel at the same speed as the wind, the propeller should stop turning. Maybe I am

Re: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread Lawrence de Bivort
I am guessing that the propeller propels a belt/chain which is geared into the wheels. Lawry On Sep 21, 2010, at 1:26 PM, Jed Rothwell wrote: I do not see how this can work! They are going with the wind, so if they start to travel at the same speed as the wind, the propeller should stop

Re: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread John Fields
On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:26:47 -0400, you wrote: I do not see how this can work! They are going with the wind, so if they start to travel at the same speed as the wind, the propeller should stop turning. Maybe I am missing something. - Jed --- Notice from the pitch of the propeller and its

Re: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread jwinter
On 9/22/2010 1:26 AM, Jed Rothwell wrote: I do not see how this can work! They are going with the wind, so if they start to travel at the same speed as the wind, the propeller should stop turning. Maybe I am missing something. Yes what an interesting puzzle! But knowing that it can be done

Re: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread OrionWorks - Steven V Johnson
Quite baffling. I love the amount of conjecture this tiny little transportation device has spontaneously generated within the Vort Collective. Nice to see that the Vort juices haven't completely atrophied. Creative conjecture of this sort seems to have been kind of sparse lately! ;-) I still

Re: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread Lawrence de Bivort
I think we can think of this in terms of three phases: 1. Start from a dead stop 2. Acceleration to a speed superior to that of the wind 3. Post acceleration performance 1. I am guessing that the contraption just starts moving forward because of the push of the wind on its vertical surface, e.g.

RE: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread Jones Beene
Ah yes, it is the old mystery of capturing apparent wind. Apparent wind is the wind that you make yourself i.e. you feel on your face as you move forward such as on a bicycle. True wind is the wind that is blowing naturally. There is a long-forgotten way it could be done today, with huge OU

RE: [Vo]:melting polar ice

2010-09-21 Thread Jack Harbach-O'Sullivan
Jack says: Counter-theory othe than 'Nuclear'// a la' very-long-term natural warming/counter-ice-age warming with 'notable human assist.' Aside from all other fossil fuel usage ref: One 747 leaving LA-X uses more oxygen on 'take-off alone' than every personal gasoline powered vehicle

Re: [Vo]:Downwind Faster than the Wind (DWFTTW)

2010-09-21 Thread Terry Blanton
On Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 3:51 PM, Jones Beene jone...@pacbell.net wrote: Maybe the Russians are using the technique on the this helicopter, which seems to be getting a massive amount of lift with almost no blade speed ... cough, cough. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgvuQGY946g Personally,