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A fine idea, but I think it's going to have to be an
airship or a helicopter. A banner that stretches
"across the sky" is going to be anywhere between a
few miles and a few tens of miles long (depending on
the altitude its flying at). I'm not sure how much
drag is caused by a 5-mile long, several-metres-wide
ribbon at the speed of a light aircraft, but I imagine
it is not insignificant. |
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In fact, there must be a limit to the length of banner
that can be towed. At some length, the drag on the
banner (if it's moving fast enough to remain mostly
horizontal) will be greater than the banner's
strength. Make the banner of stronger stuff, and it'll
be heavier, which means you'll have to fly faster to
keep it straight, which means more drag... |
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OK - a quick Google shows that the largest banner
ever flown was 50,000 square feet. It was flag-
shaped, but it suggests that a 10ft wide ribbon
couldn't be longer than 5000ft. And this large
banner was flown by a helicopter. |
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The largest banner flown by a plane was only 2300
square feet (so, a 230ft x 10ft ribbon). |
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A speed of light aircraft will probably produce infinite drag, no matter how long its banner. |
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//the speed of _a_ light aircraft// |
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When I'm sober enough to stand up, I'm a bipedant. |
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Not a banner.... Line of digits.... Pay attention! |
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So, are these abstract digits? Or are they embodied in
some tangible form? Or are they, perhaps, fingers? |
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I imagined outline digits composed of very fine but strong
material like carbon fibre. They would be connected to
each other with something like cat-gut and diminish in size
as they progress down to about 12 point type. Ah the
tiresome details...... |
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Pie day is my wife's birthday. Its also Vi Heart's fascination. |
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I wonder what a topflight fighter could pull if the banner was a suitable material? |
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I wonder what a topflight fighter could pull if the banner was a suitably light combustible material? |
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Some fighter jets have chute anchor points so all that is needed is a cable to withstand thrust exhaust and probably some flight ballast to orientate the banner. |
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Bring on the fighter jet ribbon gymnastic display. |
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//fighter jet ribbon gymnastic display.// Now,
there's an idea... |
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They could be numeral-shaped balloons. Get the density right and their weight wouldn't be an issue.
Provided you fly into the wind, it doesn't matter how fast you go - the line should stay straight, right? |
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Presumably, Pi day celebrations. |
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