Page 144 - The Origin of Birds and Flight

Quetzalcotalus is an extinct species of bird of the Pterodactyl family, with a
12 meter (39.37 feet) wing span and had no tail. This ancient creature is a
source of inspiration for a new type of plane being developed at University of
Pretoria. Joachim Huyssen, a University of Pretoria aerodynamic engineer and
inventor, explains:
In the past hundred years of aircraft development we haven’t overcome
some fundamental problems. One of them is our dependence on runways.
Our other need to keep the weight as low as possible. If you look at the na-
ture, you see the aerodynamic form of a bird differs considerably from mod-
ern aircraft. The most notable difference is that aircraft do not have long tail
wing. Neither do they have very specific tail surfaces. If we too can create
aircraft that are tail-less, we can create a great mass advantage. Most inter-
estingly, by doing away with the tail, we have the option of developing an
aircraft that will be able to land independently of runways. 1
The news site that reported this project also commented about the perfec-
tion in nature:
With regard to flight, scientists look to birds, the experts on the subject.
The Exulans manufacturers examined the features of birds in order to
develop their planes, although it was exceedingly difficult for them to
copy the fine details in nature. 2
Joachim Huyssen, designer of the Exulans plane, praises the structure of al-
batrosses in their ability to make controlled wing descents in restricted areas:
We observe birds, and especially in terms of their qualitative aspects of
flight, we look specifically at their method of control during take off, flight
and landing. One bird that is of particular interest is the albatross—it is
regarded as the bird with the highest efficiency. It is a
relatively heavy bird with regard to
the wing size, although
the wing span is