Aero-Linx!

Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet.

The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile.

Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well.

Aero Linx: Ornithopter Zone

The Ornithopter Zone grew out of a much earlier effort to bring together flapping-wing enthusiasts around the world. In 1983, Patrick Deshaye was trying to find out how to build an ornithopter. No information was available. It was even difficult to find out what had been accomplished so far. Deshaye managed to contact seven people in the US and Britian who shared his passion for flapping wings. He began publishing a newsletter, and these seven people formed the initial core of the Ornithopter Modelers' Society. The Ornithopter Zone provides historical background, as well as technical information, for anyone wishing to explore further the idea of flapping-wing flight!

FMI: www.ornithopter.org