Alien Griffin Design

Another question for my comic: my friend has made a demand that I give one of her characters a flying mount, preferably griffin-like. I have some designs but I want them to be plausible:

• How bulky and how big can I make this creature?
• What air density and such can I change in the planet's atmosphere to facilitate this thing?

The planet so far is quite earth-like but I can change it if need be and the creature's anatomy, other than six limbs and a beak, is up for debate. I already know of things like lift, thrust, drag, high air density = easier flight and so on, so don't feel as if it needs explaining.

Update

The 'griffin' will have small forelimbs (front feet) that are more like arms than legs, with low muscle mass, sitting under the winged limbs, which have strong muscles anchored on a deep breastbone.

The wing membrane extends back from the wings, onto the hind legs and then onto the sides of the tail, which is a more reptilian tail, not the tiny lion tail of an earthly griffin.

The hind legs are low and short and mostly fold neatly against the body to reduce drag, but partially splayed to increase wing area.

The creature has a large chest cavity with large lungs and a light stature.

How big do the wings have to be if it were still the size of a big cat, but significantly lighter and with these other changes? (You can twist the creature's anatomy to suit your answer if you see fit, as long as it can be ridden).

posted about 9 years ago

XenoDwarf‭

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