Flat feet

Island Beauty, originally uploaded by jeffclow.

Today's FlickrFind.

Comments

[cfrost]

Brown pelican’s flap–and-rise, sink-and-glide flight uses a phenomenon called “ground effect” which pilots experience as an apparent gain in lift just as they are about to touch down on a runway. A big bird flying over water can use it to save energy. I’ve also seen crows use ground effect for short distances over water. Here’s an explanation of ground effect comprehensible to non-engineers along with a couple freakish aircraft designed to exploit the effect.

[Uncle Kvetch]

I love pelicans. I just do.

Thanks, L.

[Lindsay Beyerstein]

Anytime, Uncle Kvetch. I'm just glad I'm not alone in my inexplicable fondness for pelicans.

Very cool about the ground effect. As a passenger, I've often felt something like lift just as a plane was touching down, but I always assumed it was some sort of proprioceptive illusion. I hate flying, except for takeoff, landing, and air turbulence.