On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 15:41:42 -0400, "C.Fleming"
wrote:

Correction:

Before any of you nit-pick over one word, change "airspeed" to simply
"speed."

The revised text should read:

Your assumption is that the air density is adequate to provide sufficient
lift -- which it's not. The speed which would be required to produce
enough lift would be extremely fast -- well over the speed of sound (many
times over) -- which would rip a conventional glider apart.

The air density on Mars is only 1% of Earth's (1) -- at the Martian
equivalent of MSL. Just like on Earth, air density rapidly decreases with
altitude, so the air density just a few thousand feet above the Martian
surface may only be 1/10th of 1% of Earth's (I don't know the exact number,
I'm not a rocket scientist for JPL). So, as I said: you might as well be
trying to soar on the moon.

-Chris

Not just like on Earth. The lower gravity means the density doesn't
drop off as quickly with altitude as on Earth.

The glider wouldn't be ripped apart by flying at high TAS(q is still
low) unless there was a flutter problem which could be induced by the
shockwaves you are going to get by flying at some large fraction of
the local speed of sound or supersonically unless your aircraft design
takes care of this, which can be done.

The folks at NASA are doing studies on Mars airplanes. It isn't that
easy but obviously someone thinks it is doable.
1% density means the TAS/IAS ratio is 10.

Mike Borgelt