Rotor Test

A dry maple samara—one of those winged helicopter seeds—drifted down onto the landing right near my boots. I hauled it upright with both hands, tested the papery fin for brittleness, and split the center seam to isolate a single rotor blade. Carried it over to the edge where the iron grating overhangs the alley below. Held it flat, calculated the clearance between two metal bars, and let gravity take over. It caught a mild thermal on the way down, kicking into a smooth, lazy autorotation that spun all the way to the pavement. Solid aerial mechanics. Not bad for street debris.