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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135828
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| Posted: 12 March 2026 at 8:04pm | IP Logged | 1
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Looking at some comments elsewhere discussing the “coolest” or most desirable super power. Often as not, flight tops the list. But as I have noted before, people who make this choice demonstrate they haven’t really thought it through. Tho flight seems super neat, it’s not terribly practical. If an individual was suddenly gifted with flight, s/he’d require a lot of backup powers and/or equipment to go with it. With “just” flight, one would soon discover a limit on altitude and speed, for instance. Friction would be a literal pain. Breathing would be difficult, if not impossible. Sometimes the things that seem to be the most fun are actually the least. :-(
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Dave Kopperman
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 27 December 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 3972
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| Posted: 12 March 2026 at 8:09pm | IP Logged | 2
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Slightly more involved, but a recent XKCD 'What If' video nicely breaks down how shitty it would be if you just floated straight up at 1ft/sec.: LINK
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Edward Aycock
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 13 July 2024
Location: United States
Posts: 163
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| Posted: 12 March 2026 at 8:37pm | IP Logged | 3
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Flying is cool but as a teen going through teen stuff, I wanted invisibility and Kitty's ability to phase, and I am sure you all know why.
Edited by Edward Aycock on 12 March 2026 at 8:37pm
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James Woodcock
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 21 September 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 8404
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| Posted: 12 March 2026 at 10:50pm | IP Logged | 4
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Excellent video.
But
I would certainly be happy, initially at least, possibly permanently, with
flying at low altitude, and either walking or certainly, running speed.
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Peter Martin
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 March 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 16382
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| Posted: 13 March 2026 at 2:49am | IP Logged | 5
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I think flying would be OK as long as you're not thinking about flying like a aeroplane. I ski and going like 80km/hr feels damn fast, but I don't have friction pains or need particularly specialised equipment. Goggles, gloves, a warm jacket -- I imagine you'd be fine for flying skyscraper high at 100mph.
Not that I would pick flight, given the choice. Telekinesis would be damn useful. Or Wolverine's healing power. *Edited to correct googles to goggles. I wouldn't be doing web searches while flying.
Edited by Peter Martin on 13 March 2026 at 2:50am
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Koroush Ghazi
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 October 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 1681
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| Posted: 13 March 2026 at 5:49am | IP Logged | 6
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What choice? My body only ever gives me the option of fight or flight, and I’m terrible at both :(
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Trevor Smith
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 21 September 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 3666
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| Posted: 13 March 2026 at 9:58am | IP Logged | 7
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"I imagine you'd be fine for flying skyscraper high at
100mph."
**
Something that has occurred to me, when I ponder this
(yeah, maybe I have too much time on my hands), is that
even at a max sustained speed of, let's say, your own
personal full sprint, you still get to cut down your travel
times (at least on a local level) by being able to always
go point A to point B rather than follow roads and whatnot.
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Mike Benson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 04 January 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 852
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| Posted: 13 March 2026 at 10:48am | IP Logged | 8
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Levitation is the way to go.
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Joe Smith
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 29 August 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 6738
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| Posted: 13 March 2026 at 12:09pm | IP Logged | 9
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you ruined Flight for me 20 years ago.
Now I yearn for the power to finally invent the jet pack that Popular Science
promised me in the 70’s.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135828
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| Posted: 13 March 2026 at 1:01pm | IP Logged | 10
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My choice superpower would be Super Clairvoyance. Sit in a comfy chair and be able to see, hear (and comprehend) anywhere in time and space, instantly.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
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| Posted: 13 March 2026 at 1:03pm | IP Logged | 11
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I don't have friction pains or need particularly specialised equipment. Goggles, gloves, a warm jacket••• That’s specialized equipment.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135828
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| Posted: 13 March 2026 at 1:06pm | IP Logged | 12
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Something that has occurred to me, when I ponder this(yeah, maybe I have too much time on my hands), is thateven at a max sustained speed of, let's say, your ownpersonal full sprint, you still get to cut down your traveltimes (at least on a local level) by being able to alwaysgo point A to point B rather than follow roads and whatnot.••• When I ask why flight, the answer is usually something like “So I could go to Paris for lunch.” The necessary speed to accomplish this is just not considered.
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