Taking Flight

Regardless of what it's made of, the arrow will wobble in flight. The force is so great upon release that the projectile bends as it accelerates. It will travel in a slight downward arc, its trajectory determined by the bow and string tension, wind, angle upon release, and physics formulas that many wouldn't attempt in this lifetime. It is said that aluminum arrows stabilize more quickly and that carbon-based ones reach a higher velocity. Either way, where the arrow goes has very much to do with who shoots it. John Magera, a 2004 US Olympian, said that determining the flight of an arrow was instinctive, building on a history of collective human practice.