Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 04:40:28 -1000 From: cbush@orion.it.luc.edu (Cady) Message-Id: <318g0s$m4p@apollo.it.luc.edu> Organization: Loyola University of Chicago Subject: What's an airfoil? I am really new to kiting, and just started lurking. My heart is completely taken by single-line kites. (I am smiling just thinking about it.) I have two parafoils. I flew a kite for the first time ever at 29 yo, just three months ago. Too too cool! Anyway, I leave the stunt kites for my boyfriend, (although he damn near skewered me last time we were out.) I have no clue about most of the discussion here but my ears perked up at the parafoil subject line. So to get to the point: What's the difference between an airfoil and a parafoil? BTW: The Kite archive at Hawaii is absolutely great. I had a ball out there yesterday and now I have one of the .gif as wallpaper on my computer. By far the best article I have read to date is "The exaltation and exhilaration of painting the sky." The author summed up perfectly how kiting makes me feel. Here is a quote I remember, "The exhilaration and exercise is for stunters, the exaltation is for single liners." I can get the full citation for the article if people really want it. I just bought my AKA membership and my subscription to KiteLines. I am happy. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 1 Aug 1994 20:37:46 -1000 From: rock@netcom.com (Anne Rock) Message-Id: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services Subject: Re: What's an airfoil? Cady (cbush@orion.it.luc.edu) wrote: : I am really new to kiting, and just started lurking. My heart is : completely taken by single-line kites. (I am smiling just thinking about : it.) I have two parafoils. I flew a kite for the first time ever at 29 : yo, just three months ago. Too too cool! Anyway, I leave the stunt : kites for my boyfriend, (although he damn near skewered me last time we : were out.) I have no clue about most of the discussion here but my ears : perked up at the parafoil subject line. So to get to the point: What's : the difference between an airfoil and a parafoil? [I've been hoping someone else would answer this question ;-) ... looking for corrections and additions to this. ] Airfoil is a term used in aerodynamics. A typical example of an airfoil is the cross-section of a typical airplane wing. As air moves over and under an airfoil, there is less pressure on the top surface than on the bottom surface, and that difference in pressure creates lift. As you know, a parafoil is a single-line kite without spars, falling into the category of ram-air kites, that is, kites whose structure is created by air pressure. The cross-section of a parafoil bears a close resemblance to the cross-section of an airplane. : BTW: The Kite archive at Hawaii is absolutely great. Yea Kevin! Anne -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Anne Rock | * * rock@netcom.com | * * Berkeley, CA | * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =