Projectile Travel Machine
Despite Erasmus Darwin's successful early experiments[1], projectile travel through the air is widely considered the realm of the foolhardy, and the life expectation of its practitioners is short. Although both dirigibles and aeronefs provide stable air travel in most atmospheric conditions, with generation of lift and propulsion well separated, it is nonetheless theoretically possible for both to be provided by a single source of forward propulsion, like a bullet from a gun.
Indeed, early experimenters were literally fired from cannon of very large calibre. Some few having survived these experiments, innovation in projectile travel has advanced to the point that the means of explosive motivation are now typically contained within the flying machine, rather than within a static launcher. It's far from clear that this could be considered an advance in safety, but adherents of the discipline assert that this enables great speed and agility in their craft.
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[edit source]While that may be true to a degree, great speed puts great strains on the structure of any craft, and necessitates a means of its controlled reduction if the aeronaut is to return safely to earth without crashing directly into it or an unforeseen obstacle on its surface. Needless to say, this is where many such adherents have come unstuck. Fliers are also severely restricted in their flight times as explosive fuels are quickly exhausted.
Nonetheless, Gunpowder Darts and their like exist for the thrill seekers and those for whom life is cheap. Land-bound projectile travel also has some popularity among the racing fraternity.
Footnotes
[edit | edit source]- ↑ In reality there's no evidence that Erasmus Darwin's design for a gunpowder-driven artificial bird, created sometime between 1776 and 1787, ever left the page.