Directly Downwind Faster than the Wind (improved audio)

[Ree1981]

Actually, you just proved it, or well, the other guy did. He just invented a way to harness wind in such a way that it's possible to make the device go faster than wind. All it requires is a vehicle with low aerodynamics such as... all the ones used, and that design where the wheels power the fan.

A hint. Try to create a device that uses gears to make the fan spin faster, and use a fan that's better designed to shoot a 'jet' of air instead of just... well, fanning air backwards. It'll go, fast!

[RattleSpace]

well, this is better sitting around hang gliding and nothing better to do in the mountains

[RickWilloughby]

JB - None of these machines have been particularly optimised. If you want to do some proper design I can help. One little tool that is very useful is a prop design program that can be run from explorer. Google JavaProp and then run the Applet there.

[TraderTurok]

Thanks Rick.

If we were trying to find the top speed of one of these then optimizing would be critical, as it is we only wished to prove that a speed greater than TWS was possible.

Thanks for the great geared cart example. Very nice.

JB

[RickWilloughby]

Great compilation gentlemen. Having tried to get this simple concept through thick heads I appreciate this contribution.

I made a very simple vehicle that I have posted as DDWFTTW_Analogy that shows how a vehicle can move ahead of the media being used to push it along.

It is nothing earth shattering but it shows the importance of gearing.