Why is Superman all Horizontal?

[Mat001]

Well, I can't ask because she ain't real.

[Two Headed Sex Beast]

Well, I can't ask because she ain't real.

Oh I don't know about that. I saw her on Seinfeld once and she was real and spectacular.

[Lexrules]

Oh I don't know about that. I saw her on Seinfeld once and she was real and spectacular.

[Jake V]

It's just the position he allows people to see him flying in. Any other position disturbs the public too much.

[Two Headed Sex Beast]

What do mean wrong?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL2PicT9Kng

[Two Headed Sex Beast]

It's just the position he allows people to see him flying in. Any other position disturbs the public too much.

You think the public would be disturbed with a sitting position? Can you back that up?

[Lexrules]

What do mean wrong?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL2PicT9Kng

That's Teri Hatcher and her big boobs you silly man. She only played Lois Lane on TV. We all know Noel Neill is the REAL Lois Lane.

BTW, Yes Teri, They are spectacular.

[Lord Bravery]

He should fly like he's squatting to take a dump in a French toilet.

[dupersuper]

Hey I'm right there with you, but most of people here have argued that because Superman is well Superman nothing can slow him down, not even drag.

I believe the argument was that the effect was profoundly negligible, especially as the argument was about just the drag of his cape.

[Two Headed Sex Beast]

I believe the argument was that the effect was profoundly negligible, especially as the argument was about just the drag of his cape.

True but that doesn't mean that the rules of drag are different when you're talking about Superman flying in a sitting position. If his cape doesn't cause drag than nothing causes drag for Supes.

[Two Headed Sex Beast]

He should fly like he's squatting to take a dump in a French toilet.

Why should he do that? That's probably not high on the number of positions that are comfortable.

[lalala]

I've actually wondered about that myself.

In every depiction of superman I've ever seen he's been cabable of hovering verticaly in the air while talking / confronting a bad guy / decending from above to protect people from bulets, so he clearly doesnt need to be in that position in order for his flight powers to kick in.

As for the drag thing... why would he be effected by it? His flight powers dont work like a planes or a birds, he's not physically doing anything to propel himself though the air, it seems to just take energy and concentration and he's able to fly in and out of earths atmosphere with ease in most depictions as well, so I cant see why he would need to compensate for drag at all.

The only solution I can think of is that that's how he did it when he first learned how to fly, as back then he didnt know the full extent of his powers and probably thought that being horizontal helped in some way, and now, even though he knows he doesnt need to, he still flys like that out of habit

[destro]

Because everybody wants to cool cool, even Superman. Flying with his legs crossed or whatever would just make him look foolish and lessen his impact on inspiring people.

[The Frozen Reptile]

He flies horizontally since it allows him the ability to turn, dodge and weave about with far greater efficiency, than sitting and looking like an asshat.

1. The physics of flight backs up your first point;

2. What is an asshat?

Lalala, the drag coefficient for a body parallel to the air flow is virtually zero. It is the most efficient way to fly, that's why planes are designed the way they are.

[Iopy]

Perhaps he's discovered that the amount of turbulence and wind noise he produces when he flies in any other position is too great, not to mention the sort of sonic booms and bow-shock he would create by flying standing up at supersonic speeds. After all, Superman is a rather thoughful indiviual, maybe he's trying to not create a huge disturbance everywhere he goes. He's just trying to be a good neighbor.