Re: Underwater questions [ot]

>
> Yes and no.
>
> Water differs from air in two major ways that impact what you're
discussing:
> -Buoyancy
> -Density/viscosity
>
> In air, a plane must support itself through lift.  This means that the
> plane must be light, strong, and have a large wing surface.
>
> In water, a vehicle is supported vertically through buoyancy.  In
order
> to move through the water at a reasonable speed, it needs to have a
> small cross-section with nothing that will snap off due to the drag on
> the vehicle (like wings).
>
> Thus airplanes and submersibles are fundamentally different, and I
doubt
> you could make a very effective vehicle that operated both in the air
> and the water unless you've got exotic technology (like anti-grav).
>
> Yes, I'm a mechanical engineering student; no, I don't like fluid
> mechanics at all. :)

Could the vehical used vertical ducted fans for lift?
Then the sub's shape could be maximized for underwater use.

Donald Hosford