Slashdot Mirror
Jet Powered Human Flight
ederen writes "A skydiver outfitted with jet engines and a nylon Birdman suit jumped out of a balloon over Finland to test the idea of powered human flight without the use of an airplane. The event was sponsored in part by Bird-Man International, a company that develops and manufactures the flying-squirrel freefall suits as seen in Tomb Raider and other action movies."
powered human flight without the use of an airplane
Technically, those old rocket pack suits used at airshows counts for this. As does, well, balloons.
While it isn't the most technically advanced feat, it is a damn cool trick, and the video is awesome. They really sound like a 747 taking off while strapped to your ankles. Kudos for the fun hack, and I can't wait to try it out.
The ______ Agenda
http://www.bird-man.com/include/n_video_windtunnel .php?d=6
It's awesome what you can do with a wingsuit. Cruising through the air busting clouds. You can really cover some distance, like crossing the Strait of Gibraltar crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. There is a lot of development going on, at BirdMan, Inc., Phoenix Fly and in cooperation with ie. Go Fast and the Soul Flyers with Salomon Sports . Have a look at the photo's and awesome videos.
If you don't life on the edge you take up too much space!
Normal bird-man flight does not use jet engines. The suit has kind of "wings" or "fins" that allow the sky diver to glide long distances during the free fall.
Jet powered bird-man flight seems to give the ability to cover distance without losing altitude, but the jets are not powerful enough to climb.
Bird suits don't have air foils for ascent. It is not the least surprising that when trying to ascend that he just stalled. Upstream drafts are so rare the suit is just not designed to take advantage of them. Level flight is the best he could hope for. Now, if he had been using an ultra light glider, he would have been set.
I paid the going retail price for a Windows screen reader and got a free Unix computer!
The Bird-man suits use inlet vents to create aerofoils similar to a ram-air parachute. The lift created is strong enough so that a skilled wing suit pilot can momentarily rise above a tail gate aircraft on exit. The jet engines provided enough thrust to keep the pilot level, but not enough to gain altitude. I have no doubt that this will be the next goal they will try to achieve. There is also a wing suit pilot who has said he thinks it is possible to "land" a wingsuit without the use of a parachute.