|
     |
| "Ages and ages ago, Mother Nature outfitted birds with variable sweep wings. Ever since, birds have made good use of these wings, extending them for quick turns, energy-conserving gliding and short landings ... sweeping them rearward for high speed diving, and other fancy wingwork. All in all, the variable sweep bird seems to have been a pretty solid design as there's never been a need for product improvements or model changes. |
| "Was it something she just lucked into? Was it the result of extensive research and prototyping? Or was it just the natural thing to do? |
| "We're sure it was the latter but how could we verify it? We found that if the run-of-the-mill, everyday bird had been equipped with a fixed wing, most or all of the following would be true of his characteristics: |
 |
he would be heavier |  |
|
he would need more food | |
|
he wouldn't turn as well | |
|
he wouldn't be able to go as far | |
|
he would land faster | |
|
he would need a bigger nest | |
|
he would cost more (if it were possible to cost account a bird) | |
| "We must admit that when it comes down to our variable sweep wing capabilities, TOMCAT is really a "Copycat"... We just hope that Mother Nature understands that copying is the sincerest form of flattery. |
| "We agree. Variable Sweep is for the birds... Naturally!" (Grumman) |
 |
 |