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A walkalong glider is a lightweight, slow flying model aircraft designed to be kept aloft by controllable slope soaring in the rising air generated by the pilot who walks along with the glider as it flies, usually holding a paddle. Hands or even the forehead can also be used to create an updraft. This type of soaring differs from other types of slope soaring in that the orographic lift (or "hill") is following the plane as it flies in the air and thus no other wind is required. Types of walkalong gliders have been patented.〔(US Patent 2718092 ) Joseph E Grant 1950 - "A virtually vertical baffle is then moved beneath the airplane in a direction transverse to the plane of the baffle and in the desired direction of flight... gives rise to an updraft and the airplane rides along..."〕〔(US Patent 5100357 ) Mcready et al. 1992. Refers to Grant's later patent - "A toy airplane is launched; and an air flow deflecting surface is located in spaced relation to a V-shaped, swept-back wing of the airplane to deflect air flow generally upwardly toward the flight path of the airplane to aid in sustaining or balancing its flight. That surface is movable relative to the wing, and may be hand-held beneath the flying wing..." -- This patent adds details to the construction of a walkalong glider which will fly in a swooping tilt after each "boost".〕 Some walkalong glider designs have been named. Some known models are * Air surfer, * windrider walkalong glider, * tumblewing * Follow foil Walkalong gliding has also been referred to as controllable slope soaring but should not be confused with dynamic soaring. Ground effect should not be confused with ridge lift when explaining how walkalong gliders stay up. Ground effect involves a horizontal surface. Ridge lift requires a sloping surface. In ground effect the air does not have to move relative to the ground whereas ridge lift requires the wind to be blowing horizontally against the ridge. Walkalong gliders are sustained and controlled in the ridge lift produced by the moving paddle. == History == The first description of a walkalong glider appears in the 1955 patent of J. E. Grant.〔(Method of Flying Toy Airplane and Means Therefor )〕 The first flight of a functional walkalong glider appears briefly in the Academy Award winning documentary ''The Flight of the Gossamer Condor''.〔(Walkalong Glider Inventor's Interview Page and New Directions )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Walkalong glider」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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