Nexxus Scotland

Jumpers, floaters and flappers - the quest for flight

This Cafe Scientifique event will be presented by Dugald Cameron, visiting Professor to the Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Glasgow.

Humans have always envied birds' ability to fly and sought to emulate them but human flight would not be achieved simply by mimicry: nature tantalises us and keeps her secrets just out of view. Glasgow University's Percy Pilcher made the first repeated flights in a heavier than air machine, in his "Bat" glider in the summer of 1895. It is just over one hundred years since the Wright brothers succeeded in achieving sustained, powered flight.

In 1809, Sir George Cayley, the father of aeronautics, put it this way - "The whole problem is confined within these limits, viz - to make a surface support a given weight by the application of power to the resistance of air" Nearly two hundred years later that is still largely ‘it', though dignified by the science of fluid dynamics.

What is required for flight? How do we fly within a three dimensional air space in a sustained and controlled manner? There is still a debate and clearly we still do know absolutely how to do it and not entirely why!

Dugald is well placed to discuss these issues. He has published widely and having retired as Director of Glasgow School of Art in 1999, is now a visiting Professor to the Dept of Aerospace Engineering  University of Glasgow and in Design to the University of Strathclyde. He wishes to add a p.s: What made Concorde so special?

Time - 7PM,
Price - Free,
Venue - Foyer Bar, Tron Theatre

About the Tron:

Location: The Tron is situated in Glasgow's Merchant City on Trongate, a few yards from Glasgow Cross. The building is easily recognisable by the unmistakable 16th century church steeple.

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