Are flying fish nature’s oddity or a statement ? Once again another convincing proof of the Zone Theory of Lift comes from nature itself. This time from flying fish and how they do it.

The flying performance of the flying fish is shown in images below, and what’s even more impressive is that they get airborne by achieving sufficient takeoff velocity or V1, while still submerged. They first vigorously produce thrust under water with their tails and pop out from the surface while extending their variable geometry swept back wings, to begin flight. Each time they land back in water, they repeat gathering speed by tail motion, and get airborne again. They hardly flap their wings like birds to maintain altitude. Their water speed is 37mph and airs peed 43mph. The distance of a single flight is more then a 1000ft, and they can repeat 12 flights in a row, before rest.

The flight behaviour of these fish shows unmistakably the importance of maintaining a certain speed in air to experience lift force greater then the weight of the object in flight.

Once again, no V1, no lift … 🙂

Watch an interesting video to see how it all happens in the sea.