Human powered ornithropter

[mmntech]

A team at the University of Toronto has accomplished a record breaking flight in a human powered ornithropter. A type of plane powered by flapping its wings like a bird.

The plane travelled 145 metres on its own power, averaging a speed of roughly 26km/h. The pilot spent a year bulking up and had to loose 10kg to fly it. The entire plane, made of balsa and carbon fibre, only weighs 45kg.

FAI certified the flight as record breaking. I've seen prototypes of these in the in the past. Nobody has really achieved sustained, controlled flight in them.

http://vimeo.com/15168011
http://www.canada.com/technology/science/story.html?id=3563675

 

[lxskllr]

Pretty interesting, but really impractical.

 

[SonicIce]

it looks more like it was pulled up to speed by a car and then glided down with a little assistance from the flapping

 

[Matthiasa]

it looks more like it was pulled up to speed by a car and then glided down with a little assistance from the flapping

Pretty much this.

 

[arrfep]

Imagine how far an ATOTer could fly it. Oh, nevermind. I thought you said it was powered by fapping.

 

[rasczak]

it looks more like it was pulled up to speed by a car and then glided down with a little assistance from the flapping

It's just the beginning.

 

[Matthiasa]

Yeah it was pulled in the beginning and then after it was released it glided down...
with its weight, wingspan and how fast it was being pulled honestly surprised it didn't go farther.

 

[Daishiki]

Magic the Gathering immediately came to mind when I read the title.

 

[theflyingpig]

Magic the Gathering immediately came to mind when I read the title.

Me too.

 

[eldorado99]

lose. LOSE!

 

[Kadarin]

it looks more like it was pulled up to speed by a car and then glided down with a little assistance from the flapping

I noticed this as well; it didn't gain any altitude after being released.

 

[Toonces]

Magic the Gathering immediately came to mind when I read the title.

And I, Dune.

 

[Sentrosi2121]

I thought of the Granbretanian Ornithopter from Michael Moorcock's Hawkmoon series.
Here is a thread about someone making a scale model of one
http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=15983.0
Pretty damn good. Even got the Flame Lance right.

 

[BrokenVisage]

(0) for an 0/2 Flyer.. that's all the name Ornithropter means to me!

 

[yllus]

(0) for an 0/2 Flyer.. that's all the name Ornithropter means to me!

What's (0) mean? It's free to play?