A Canadian university student has done what Leonardo da Vinci had only dreamt of: Piloted a human-powered wing-flapping plane! Called an ornithopter, and the inspiration for modern day helicopters, the machine was first sketched by da Vinci way back in 1485 and never actually built.
Todd Reichert, an engineering student at the University of Toronto, made history by sustaining flight in his ornithopter -- named Snowbird -- for 19.3 seconds and covering 475.72 feet. Snowbird is made from carbon fiber, balsa wood, and foam. The 92.59 pound vehicle maintained an average speed of 15.91 miles per hour.
Full story link with pictures & video: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/70/student-flies-like-a-bird-powered-only-by-himself.html
Todd Reichert, an engineering student at the University of Toronto, made history by sustaining flight in his ornithopter -- named Snowbird -- for 19.3 seconds and covering 475.72 feet. Snowbird is made from carbon fiber, balsa wood, and foam. The 92.59 pound vehicle maintained an average speed of 15.91 miles per hour.
Full story link with pictures & video: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/70/student-flies-like-a-bird-powered-only-by-himself.html
