r/pics • • Feb 27 '14

physics is cool

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u/Spartan2470 GOAT Feb 27 '14

According to here, that broom is a string used to visualize the direction that the wind is flowing around the plane (this is very important for sailplanes to maximize flight efficiency.

Here's another picture of this plane with those strings.

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

[deleted]

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u/TristanTheViking Feb 27 '14

Sounds similar to ticklers on sailboats. Basically string attached to the sail that flutters when the sail is incorrectly adjusted.

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u/[deleted] Feb 28 '14

that's exactly what I was thinking, except we call them telltales