Flight of Animals definition of Flight of Animals in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Flight of Animals

motion of animals in the air by means of special organs of locomotion—wings. Most insects and birds, as well as some mammals (for example, bats), have the ability to fly. Flight was characteristic of the pterosaurs, a group of fossil reptiles.

Wings help create the aerodynamic forces (lift and thrust) necessary for flight. Flying animals possess a number of structural features that facilitate flying: widening of the tracheal system in many insects and air sacs and pneumaticity of bones in birds. Active flight consists in moving through the air by flapping the wings; passive flight involves gliding and soaring. Gliding is flying along a plane tilted downward. In so doing, the lifting force balances the weight of the body. Soaring is flying in an upward current of air (static soaring) or in a horizontal current of air using the uneven flow velocities in the different layers (dynamic soaring).

Insects are only capable of active flight. All birds can fly actively; many can also glide and soar. The flying speed of insects varies from 7.5–15 (Muscidae) to 54 km/hr (Sphingidae). Birds fly at the rate of 35–140 km/hr; the dive of a peregrine falcon can reach 300 km/hr.

The movement of some other animals through the air (for example, flying squirrels, flying fish) differs from flight.

REFERENCES

Alexander, R. Biomekhanika. Moscow, 1970. (Translated from English).
Shestakova, G. S. Stroenie kryl’ev i mekhanika poleta ptits. Moscow, 1971.

V. S. GURFINKEL’

Mentioned in	?		Encyclopedia browser	?		Full browser	?
No references found	Flier, Iakov Flier, Iakov Vladimirovich flies Flight Flight 93 National Memorial flight briefing flight characteristic Flight Control Flight Control Center flight control system Flight controls flight conveyor flight deck flight dynamics flight envelope flight feather Flight Feathers flight feeder flight forecast flight header flight inspection flight instrument Flight into Egypt flight level flight log Flight of Animals flight of ideas Flight Park State Recreation Area flight path flight plan flight profile flight recorder flight rise flight rules flight run flight science flight simulator flight stability flight technical error flight test flight time flight track flight visibility flight-management computer flight-path angle flight-path computer flight-path deviation flight-path deviation indicator flight-path selector flight-path slope flight-weather briefing	flight maneuver Flight Manual Manager Flight Manual Program Flight Manual Review Conference Flight Manual Supplement Flight Manuals Executive Steering Group Flight Marshal Flight mechanic Flight Medical Officer Flight Message Transfer Protocol Flight Mission Simulator - Digital Flight Mission Simulator/Digital Flight Mode Annunciator Flight Model Flight Model Discharge System Flight Motion Simulator Flight Movement Forecast Flight Navigation Procedures Trainer Flight Ninety-Three National Memorial Flight number Flight nurse Flight nurse Flight nurse Flight nurse Flight nurse Flight Object Flight Object Management System Flight Observation Team Flight of Animals Flight of Capital Flight of Capital flight of colours flight of fancy flight of fancy flight of ideas flight of ideas flight of ideas Flight of Opportunity flight of stairs flight of stairs flight of steps Flight of the Amazon Queen Flight of the Bumblebee Flight of the Conchords Flight of the Eagle Productions Flight of the Intruder Flight of the Navigator Flight of the Phoenix Flight of the Valkyries Flight officer Flight Officer Biographical Inventory Flight Officer Flight Aptitude Rating Flight Operating Limitation Flight Operation Center Flight Operation Segment Flight Operation-Time Management Flight Operational Quality Assurance Flight Operations

Mentioned in

Encyclopedia browser

Full browser

No references found

flight maneuver
Flight Manual Manager
Flight Manual Program
Flight Manual Review Conference
Flight Manual Supplement
Flight Manuals Executive Steering Group
Flight Marshal
Flight mechanic
Flight Medical Officer
Flight Message Transfer Protocol
Flight Mission Simulator - Digital
Flight Mission Simulator/Digital
Flight Mode Annunciator
Flight Model
Flight Model Discharge System
Flight Motion Simulator
Flight Movement Forecast
Flight Navigation Procedures Trainer
Flight Ninety-Three National Memorial
Flight number
Flight nurse
Flight nurse
Flight nurse
Flight nurse
Flight nurse
Flight Object
Flight Object Management System
Flight Observation Team

Flight of Animals

Flight of Capital
Flight of Capital
flight of colours
flight of fancy
flight of fancy
flight of ideas
flight of ideas
flight of ideas
Flight of Opportunity
flight of stairs
flight of stairs
flight of steps
Flight of the Amazon Queen
Flight of the Bumblebee
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Eagle Productions
Flight of the Intruder
Flight of the Navigator
Flight of the Phoenix
Flight of the Valkyries
Flight officer
Flight Officer Biographical Inventory
Flight Officer Flight Aptitude Rating
Flight Operating Limitation
Flight Operation Center
Flight Operation Segment
Flight Operation-Time Management
Flight Operational Quality Assurance
Flight Operations