7
$\begingroup$

There exist humans on a world with 35% the gravity of Earth and air five times denser. These people have invented wingsuits with extensions that go past their arms and enable them to fly by flapping their arms.

In the same way that certain body types make people better suited for particular sports (e.g. thin people with long legs tend to be good runners), what would the ideal body type be for someone who flies with a wingsuit?

I am looking for body proportions, physical size, musculature, etc. Examples are encouraged.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ So, you're kinda looking for a human that looks most like a flying squirrel? Bear in mind that examples of human musculature, etc., best suited for flying-squirrel status might not exist. $\endgroup$
    – JBH
    Commented Mar 9, 2019 at 19:31

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
4
$\begingroup$

The flying fox is the obvious template. As you can see, the proportions are already reasonably close to human. Maybe shorten and narrow the trunk and the legs and make the shoulders more powerful.

enter image description here

enter image description here

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
$\begingroup$

Sims glitch body.

glitch body https://www.pinterest.com/pin/434667801516932263/

The very long spidery arms and fingers will optimize wing surface area in the flight suit. This body has enormous pectoral flight muscles too, for awesome flapping. The rest of the tiny body minimizes weight.

I was not given a good explanation for how the detachable head improves flying ability but I am sure there is one.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ And what of the explanation for the generously proportioned mammary glands? Bags containing lighter than air gases? $\endgroup$
    – AngelPray
    Commented Mar 9, 2019 at 21:33
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ That image might actually not meet SE's general we-don't-want-to-offend-the-world guidelines. There's gotta be someone somewhere that thinks that image is shaming something. $\endgroup$
    – JBH
    Commented Mar 9, 2019 at 22:04
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ @Angelpray Mammary glands?! Where is your mind? Those are the aforementioned enormous pectoral flight muscles. $\endgroup$
    – Willk
    Commented Mar 9, 2019 at 22:04
2
$\begingroup$

ideal body type be for someone who flies with a

wingsuit

Midgets.

Wings keep you afloat due to lift, which is proportional to area. Gravity pulls you down through weight, which depends on mass; for a fixed density and for practical purposes, it relates to volume.

And this is where the square-cube law gives midgets an advantage. As height decreases, surface area (both the midget's and the wingsuit's) decreases, but weight decreases much faster, providing a better surface-to-weight ratio.

Ultimately evolution would ravor pixie-sized humanoids if given time and pressure.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .