The Delaurier flapper does have fixed wings in addition to the flapping wings. For the first 6 years years of testing [1996 to 2001] it was a true ornithopter ie: all the thrust and most of the lift was produced by the flapping of the wings. The wing flapping mechanism is powered by a 2 stroke, 24hp Koenig engine. After the first test pilot [me] resigned in 2001, the new pilot was too heavy, so a small set of fixed wings was added to provide the extra lift required. Unfortunately these wings also changed it from a true ornithopter into a hybrid flapping/fixed wing aircraft. The flapping wings alone were able to accelerate the aircraft to 56mph [this was the maximum speed I ever did] and then take-off [I did the first lift-offs] but the fuselage heaving and pitching was severe so recently they installed the jet engine to power the take-off without using the flapping wings [and thereby eliminating the bouncing]
Last weekend's flight does not prove anything at all about ornithopter flight, the aircraft was blasted into the air with a jet engine and then maintained flight with the aid of fixed wings in addition to the flapping wings. This aircraft is not a true ornithopter. Sustained flight by an ornithopter has not yet been done.
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The Delaurier flapper does have fixed wings in addition to the flapping wings. For the first 6 years years of testing [1996 to 2001] it was a true ornithopter ie: all the thrust and most of the lift was produced by the flapping of the wings. The wing flapping mechanism is powered by a 2 stroke, 24hp Koenig engine. After the first test pilot [me] resigned in 2001, the new pilot was too heavy, so a small set of fixed wings was added to provide the extra lift required. Unfortunately these wings also changed it from a true ornithopter into a hybrid flapping/fixed wing aircraft. The flapping wings alone were able to accelerate the aircraft to 56mph [this was the maximum speed I ever did] and then take-off [I did the first lift-offs] but the fuselage heaving and pitching was severe so recently they installed the jet engine to power the take-off without using the flapping wings [and thereby eliminating the bouncing] Last weekend's flight does not prove anything at all about ornithopter flight, the aircraft was blasted into the air with a jet engine and then maintained flight with the aid of fixed wings in addition to the flapping wings. This aircraft is not a true ornithopter. Sustained flight by an ornithopter has not yet been done.