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Human-powered flappy-wing plane !
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:16 pm
by Smivs
Thought you might like this. It's the first flight of a human-powered ornithopter - a plane that flaps its wings.
VIDEO
Related article.
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 10:22 am
by Commander McLane
Looks a little odd, but strangely beautiful.
Although it seems the plane was being towed by the truck at least part of the way (perhaps towing was necessary to get take-off speed in the first place, like for any unmotored plane?).
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 11:10 am
by Smivs
That's right, it's towed like a glider to get it airborne, but then it maintains its flight by flapping the wings. Therefore, unlike a glider, it can maintain a steady course, or manoevre and isn't reliant on thermals to stay airborne.
It is very elegant in flight isn't it?
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:53 pm
by Commander McLane
Smivs wrote:That's right, it's towed like a glider to get it airborne, but then it maintains its flight by flapping the wings. Therefore, unlike a glider, it can maintain a steady course, or manoevre and isn't reliant on thermals to stay airborne.
It is very elegant in flight isn't it?
It is, although, compared to a bicycle, the effects of exhausted leg muscles could get potentially disastrous.
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:24 pm
by Killer Wolf
interesting tho the mechanics of this are, i file this under "what's the point?"
you got something the size of a commercial airliner thant's incredible fragile, slow and only for 1 person. can't see where they're going w/ this to be honest.
if we're talking flying things that flap, i far prefer these
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff9F0qzxUtg