how do dragons fly? (Spoilers all books to end DH)

[assasin]

How in the world do dragons fly. If they use magic then why do they need wings. But they are kind of big for normal flight.

[Liquid Ice]

They're dragons, magical creatures. They fly because they can.
Saying that, they use wings for the same reason birds do, lift, control, ect.
They'd use magic to help them get off the ground and reduce weight problems.

[Albertosaurus Rex]

As much as I hate when people say this: don't think about it too much.

The way most dragons in fantasy are described, they would be physically unable to fly. Often this is handwaved by the story / author stating that dragons are innately magical and that their magic aids them in flying. I personally think dragons are cool enough to just not worry about this problem.

[Farseer]

According to Dr Ernest Drake's book Dragonology, The Complete Book of Dragons (yes, we actually have it on our bookshelf!), "The laws of flight say that dragons, like bees, can't fly, when in actual fact they can. Their aerial skill is assisted by the dragon's ability to bend its wings and rotate them quickly in their sockets and also by the fact that dragon bones are lightweight and hollow like those of birds."

Of course, everybody knows that different species of dragons have different physical features/adaptations, eg some do not have hollow bones, and these differences can therefore create variations in the dragon's ability to fly or the actual mechanics of flight.

I have also heard it suggested that as dragons are fire-breathing creatures, they can be deemed similar to a winged, hot air balloon, with the hot air providing a dragon with lift in much the same way this lift is present in a hot air balloon ... though it seems to me that dragons aren't the only ones filled with hot air !

I must agree with AR in that I don't think of it much ... it is simply enough that they 'exist' .

['thul]

These beings have understood it as that RotE dragons are naturally capable of flight, unlike the majority of other dragons in other universes... The how of how such dragons can fly is ascribed to their vast wings... whereas some foolish series give dragons wing surface of about 2m^2 on a 10+ ton dragon, the RotE dragons have wingspans much wider than their length, and their wings are significantly larger than most sailing vessels' combined sail acreage... RotE dragons are also from the descriptions fairly thinly built, and not the massive beasts other series give dragons... The thickest parts of dragons will naturally be the middle region where the main flight muscles are located... they will also be fairly bulky near their other limbs, which they use to aid in controlled flight...

Dragon wings are covered (if not made up of) featherlike scales, which aid in providing the ability for flight, rather than the bat-like wings often given to them. Seeing that these beings have not studied the exact physics behind natural flight, they cannot go into detail, but the two main factors are strong wing muscles and extremely large wings...


other fantasy universes will provide dragons with smaller wings, yet also give them magically assisted flight...

[redchild]

It's.......magic! *gasp* I suppose some combination of the physical flight mechanics of their wings with magic. I guess they flap their wings like bats but can soar like eagles. They must be very agile in flight too, seeing as they copulate in mid-air.

Eastern dragons don't have wings at all. They all have some sort of inherent anti-grav ability and sort of "swim" in the sky like snakes.

Dragon wings are covered (if not made up of) featherlike scales, which aid in providing the ability for flight, rather than the bat-like wings often given to them.

Butterfly wings are also scaled and give their wings their iridescent colors and patterns.

[assasin]

The magic in the realm of the elderlings only rarely effects elemental thingssuch as levitation. that I have noticed. Most of it seems to deal with living beings. [eg giving life to inanimate objects, healing, etc.] Though I guess magic could make dragons weigh a lot less. That actually makes a lot more sense than the magic causing them to levitate.

['thul]

from reading the detailed descriptions in dragon keeper and dragon haven there is nothing that speaks of anything magical about their flight... It is merely "flight". Robin Hobb has made the dragons fairly close to as natural as possible... dragons fly naturally, dragons spit acid, not fire, etc...

[assasin]

I'd seriously disagree with you about "as close to natural as possible". Dragons are too big to fly naturally. Full stop. I know of no animal in history that size that could fly. There is no indication of the air preasure being different to earth. The gravity is the same. You get the idea.

Also, dragons are pretty much immortal [not counting starvation, disease, injury, etc. Just age.]. I know of no animal that is immortal. But i know in the realm that skill users could age a lot slower. Through the use of MAGIC.

Not to mention the dragons ability to absorb memories. The ansestral memory. menatl communication. You get the idea.

The very nature of dragons is magic .If there was no magic they most likely would be dead. I think the reason that there is acid instead of fire is that magic in the realm sffects living beings instead of haveing elemental effects [ie no fireballs for skill users or lightning bolts for old bloods. though wit bonds and skill healing is possible]

[Farseer]

dragons spit acid, not fire, etc...

Too true 'thul, and here have I been wondering if some of the volcanic eruptions may in same way be linked to dragons being trapped beneath the earth (along with sorcerers being trapped in gem-filled caves!) and unleashing their fire or something. This is not a complete theory or anything ... just one of the little thoughts I've had when wondering about things as the plot has progressed. No dragon fire means no connection to the volcanic eruptions then!

I also agree in that I cannot recall any instance within the RotE where magic has enhanced flight in any way.