THE FLYING ABILITY OF ARCHAEOPTERYX

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Estimates for the wing span, mass and wing area of Archaeopteryx lithographica are provided, and these are used to derive certain of the flight parameters. From the data available on the lengths of skeletal components, amplified by examination of casts of the specimens and full‐size enlargements of photographs, the wing span is estimated at 58–59 cm and the wing area as 479 cm2. To judge from animals of similar size, the mass was probably about 200 g. These figures give an estimated minimum flying speed of 7‐6 m/sec and a wing loading of 0–42 gf/cm2. These figures are, and must be from their method of derivation, comparable with those of similar sized modern birds,These data are used to reconsider the possibility of flapping flight in this bird. It is suggested that the primitive anatomy of the pectoral skeleton has been somewhat over‐emphasized, and it is shown that the pectoral crest on the humerus was relatively very large compared with modern birds. The power required to fly would require muscular physiology outside the range of mammalian (at least, human) capability, but well within the modern avian range. It is felt that Archaeopteryx was capable of flapping flight, but that it was probably not long sustained.

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