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First Human-Powered Ornithopter

Posted by samzenpus on from the don't-stop-pedaling dept.

spasm writes "A University of Toronto engineering graduate student has made and successfully flown a human-powered flapping-wing aircraft. From the article: 'Todd Reichert, a PhD candidate at the university's Institute of Aerospace Studies, piloted the wing-flapping aircraft, sustaining both altitude and airspeed for 19.3 seconds and covering a distance of 145 metres at an average speed of 25.6 kilometres per hour.'"

4 of 250 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why Still Pursuing This? by iluvcapra · · Score: 4, Interesting

    “Though the aircraft is not a practical method of transport, it is also meant to act as an inspiration to others to use the strength of their body and the creativity of their mind to follow their dreams.”

    There you go, it ain't much, but then again creativity is a pretty expensive and scarce commodity.

    --
    Don't blame me, I voted for Baltar.
  2. Re:Ornithoglider by AshtangiMan · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I tend to agree. It looks like the max altitude (and perhaps speed) was reached just prior to releasing the tow cable. The flapping may have extended the glide, you can see the cockpit move up on the "flap" but it also sinks when the wings spring back up. I'm not sure what is being done is sustainable flight. I am glad they did this though, as it looks promising, and perhaps they will get to the sustainable flight goal.

  3. Not that great... by EkriirkE · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is merely a glider, nothing more. The up-flap cancels out the down-flap as the wings appear to move vertically. All winged animals I'm aware of either twist their wings at angles or fold them, especially on the up-flap, so that most of the powered force is directed to pushing air under the wings on the down flap and the wing simply cuts through the air on the up flap.

    --
    from 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
    to 45 2F 6E 40 3C DF 10 71 4E 41 DF AA 25 7D 31 3F
  4. Re:Nothing new by siddesu · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've always wondered about bird vs. helicopter efficiency ... here's one guy's opinion.

    http://mb-soft.com/public3/birdeff.html

    If true, nature's "painfully inefficient reciprocating motion" leaves our "nice, efficient rotary motion" in the dust.