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Superman Simulator

Fly like the S-Man
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Thrill seekers will love the new design of a wind tunnel with entertainment in mind.

Flyer dawns a superhero outfit, which covers streetware and assures no loose articles. Flyer climbs into the human sized test section and the simulator operators secure flyer in a "flying" position. Once secured, the simulator projects the visual of you on a skyscraper roof on the wind tunnel's interior walls in front and around you (leaving a sizable gap for oncoming air). The closed circuit tunnel is sealed and the fan, separated by safety screens and turning vanes, is started. As the fan spools up, you leap off the skyscraper and the wind hits your face. Actually you just stay still and the video does the leaping, duh, but the fan motor is tied to the video and varies air velocity (blade pitch) with maneuvers.

You're flying.

Flying route takes you over and around the city, through a tunnel, to the edge of space, wherever etc.. The securing devices that keep you from really flying are timed to move to the video producing small accelerations in the up/down/left/right directions for added effect. But the real excitement here is the mass flow of air in your face.

Ride ends, your out 10 bucks and you do it again.

I know 150 knots is achievable and quite a rush, even without the simulation part of the idea. If anyone has access to a wind tunnel after hours I highly recommend this 'experiment'. Not sure what the upper safety velocity would be, but of course there would be one. I've never seen a tunnel built for other than testing, if baked tell me where it is so I can go play.

dag, Mar 13 2002

Horizontal wind tunnel http://orn-lab.ekol...unnel/lundwind.html
Would it be possible if this were built on a hyper-gigantic scale? [superspygirl, Mar 15 2002]

Dag, it's time to build one! http://www.primelin...wind/whp_faqs1.html
Quote from site: "While the vast majority of Vertical Wind Tunnels were created for recreational use, some of the earliest were produced for the purpose of aerodynamic testing. Vertical Wind Tunnels should not be confused with their horizontal cousins as all horizontal wind tunnels are used for this purpose." [superspygirl, Mar 15 2002]

IvanIdea's link as a link. http://www.primelin.../whp_vwt_list1.html
[StarChaser, Mar 16 2002]


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Annotation:







       I did this, but without the wind generator, at Pinewood Studios about 20 years ago (they had lots of stuff left over from the 'Superman' film).
hippo, Mar 14 2002
  

       I've done the vertical air rides, quite fun. Those are for skydiving practice/simulation and different from this idea. The idea here is an enclosed wind tunnel with air moving horizontally, the kind used for aerodynamic testing and meeting the air head on, so the air moves past you from head to toe. This would better simulate superman's flight path. Intertwine that with a flight or racing type movement simulator and displays. Like I said before, If baked I would sure like to know where.
dag, Mar 14 2002
  

       What about x-ray vision?
waugsqueke, Mar 14 2002
  

       My apologies for the brain fart. I'm writing that into the simulator program as we speak. How could I have forgotten the X-ray vision.
dag, Mar 14 2002
  

       It is easier to use a blue screen and project a backdrop onto it and blow a hairdryer at your face!!!! thats how they did it in the film! EAT MORE BANANAS!!!
monkeyboy3, Mar 14 2002
  

       I deleted my previous comment due to its irrelevance as I automatically assumed you meant a vertical tunnel. This sounds fun but 150 knots might be overdoing it, especially if your customers forgot to keep their mouths shut.
IvanIdea, Mar 15 2002
  

       [IvanIdea] Nevertheless, a link to the photos you mentioned would still be interesting.
hippo, Mar 15 2002
  

       [hippo] there are a couple of pictures hidden away on the highwind site posted by superspygirl. if you paste <Link --SC> into your browser, you will get a list of facilities world wide, near the bottom is the Terminal Velocity site with a couple of clickable thumbnails. Most of the pictures I took are not very exciting but are of the hideously expensive engineering we developed to turn 2500 hp thru 90 degrees and double the rpm. I will try to dig out a few more but my wife will get very upset if she thinks I am even thinking about getting involved with freefall machines again! If you look at what is happening to the flyers face you will understand my comment on the effect of opening your mouth in a 150 knot air flow.
IvanIdea, Mar 16 2002
  


 

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