I was looking at this photo of Urs Erbacher on NHRA.com and noticed the wing appears to be flexing due to the downforce.

Paul,

I was also going to post this, there have probably been many top end shots over the years that I've looked at, but this is the first where I have noticed the slant on the right (left if looking at pic) side of the wing.

Mike

You mean WINGS, plural, don'tcha?

Lay a ruler on your monitor screen and line up the outermost corners of the FRONT one-Yeah?

There is some sort of an agreed-to spec on TF (rear only, I THINK) wings- don't believe its part of the SFI 49.1 spec but something between NHRA and the two or three wing providers. (I know lawyers were involved). Anyway a degree of flex and I THINK a return time to level is part of it

There could be other MYSTERY agreements between the pros and NHRA's higher ups that fans aren't privy to, but that may be yers truly's inherent para-noya.

Someday go to an airport and watch the jets land. If you have never seen it before it will scare the **** out of you. Flex is good.

I have seen this before, this shot just shows it a lot more pronounced.

As for the Airliners... I remember flying to the US from Australia back in '94 as a 15 year old and was looking out the window at the wing as we taxied out. I then remember looking out the window once we were off the ground and the wing was GONE!!!

Could this be an illusion that happens when heat waves are given off?

Much like a desert highway off in the distance looking wet?

WHAT... There's NO WATER!!! No wonder I ended up on Pacific Coast in California before I hit all that water!!

From Dallas it looked like it was just by Ft Worth!!

It's not an illusion, it's supporting about 8,000#s of force coming down on it. What would you do with that force applied to you?

What would I do with 8,000lbs on me?? Obviously I would ask Rosie O'Donnell to get off!!

damn. I didn't realize your an Aerodynamic engineer. Or did you just stay at a
motel 6. (or however the commercial goes)

An engineer yes, just not an aero one.

Watch a slow motion funny car run, you would think the carbon fiber body was a sheet in the wind.

I always liked the way our buddy Steve Evans put it. He was describing the downforce pressure on one of the broadcasts and he made the comment, "picture about a 1956 Buick bolted to those wing stands". Great line.

Dave

Carbon still retains shape better than the old fiberglass bodies

d'kid

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Comfortably Numb- So nice to be Insane, no one asks you to explain the radio by your side, Angie Baby.
A friend helps you move, A Real Friend helps you Move Bodies

All I know is that when those metal struts fail at about 1300' going over 290 mph - it gets reeeeaaaal ugly. I saw Connie Kalitta's happen in Houston. You shoulda' seen how many pieces that car was in!

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Who will? HILLARY WILL !

This made me laugh out loud! The best damn quote on the Mater in months!