Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Flugtag, Human Powered Flying Machine Competition

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the does-falling-to-your-death-count dept.

Mike Lohse writes "Redbull is promoting its human-powered flying competition called Flugtag in San Francisco. Looks like creativity wins. The rules? Less than 30 feet wide, less than 450 lbs., only human power for propulsion. Applications are due August 20th, applicants are selected August 27th, and the competition is October 26th in San Francisco. Get sketching..."

2 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting specifications... by Guppy06 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Less than 30 feet wide,"

    Human-powered flight with a smaller wingspan than most gasoline-powered planes? Ouch. IIRC, the guy who flew over the English Channel had something like 50 feet to play with.

    "less than 450 lbs"

    With a wingspan like that I would certainly hope so!

  2. It's a joke, but I have to point it out... by tlambert · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's a joke.

    You are not expected to fly.

    It's more about "how many drunken idiots can we get to strap drowning machines to themselves and jump into the San Francisco Bay?"

    The Gossamer Condor, which won the Kremer Prize in 1977 is, so far, the smallest human powered aircraft. It has a wingspan of 70 feet. The Gossamer Albatross, which crossed the English Channel, and won the second Kremer Prize, has a wingspan of 90 feet.

    A wingspan of 30 feet is pretty mugh guaranteed to not result in flight, if the wings alone are intended to provide the lift, with just human power.

    The weight limit lets out most practicaly designs, such as a neutral buoyancy ornithopter with a helium lifting baloon with a 30 foot maximum width (hint: search for "one person helium balloon").

    -- Terry