[Spaceships] Ornithopter Wings no longer TL5+2!

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by lwcamp

This paleontologist http://www.flickr.com/photos/markwitton/1386125619/ estimates 250 kg (550 lbs), and argues strongly against 200 lb quetzs.

Metabolic rate calculations pretty strongly argue for fairly low weight. If we assume it was able to take off from a flat surface and fly without an updraft, a 100 kg flier with fairly plausible aerodynamics requires a continuous power of around 600W (6 W/kg). That's in the range of extremely elite athletes, and not impossible for an animal. A 250 kg creature requires 2500W (10 W/kg), and given that metabolic scaling is generally lower than 1st order in mass, is grossly unlikely for an animal.