Rogallo
(rəʊˈgæləʊ)
Also rogallo.
The name of Francis M. Rogallo, 20th-c. U.S. engineer, used attrib. and absol. to designate a light, flexible, triangular wing deployed by means of tension lines or rigid tubes and used on spacecraft and for hang-gliding.
| 1961 Rogallo wing [see paraglider]. 1968 McGraw-Hill Encycl. Space i. 127 The tanks..are specially arranged to accommodate the housing of the recovery wing. The latter, known by the names of Paraglider, Flex-wing or Rogallo Wing (from the name of its inventor, Francis M. Rogallo, director of the large wind-tunnel at NASA's Langley Research Center) is a flexible wing which is deployed in flight and enables the rocket to glide. 1974 Observer (Colour Suppl.) 7 Apr. 68/1 The rogallo, a triangular kite-shape wing made of aluminium tubing with a nylon sail. 1974 Sci. Amer. Dec. 138/1 Most sky surfers first learn to fly on a Rogallo kite. 1978 A. Welch Bk. of Airsports i. 9/2 They come in an increasing variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from the basic rogallo for club and school use to almost aeroplane planform hang gliders. |