A bicycle that can fly?
Question:Has one ever been designed that actually worked? I have done a lot of keyword searches and came up with nothing. Thanks and HAVE A GREAT DAY!! ;-)
Answers:
How do you fix a popped bike tire?
oh yeah! check it out:What's the weight of an average bicycle?
My tri bike can get up to some amazing speeds, but I have never been able to get it off the ground.How do i keep my drivetrain clean?
The problem is in the word bicyle.There has been one documented case of a human powered aircraft. I don't believe the landing gear was a bicycle. I think it was a unicycle type gear.
The pilot was a trained bicycle racer. The aircraft, which I think was named the "Gossamer Albatros," was driven by large propellers powered, via a chain system by the pilot's legs. The frame was a lightweight carbon composite, and the whole cockpit was lined in clear plastic wrap, to help with wind resistance.
In order to acheive the distinction of being recorded as the first human powered flight, the pilot had to begin from a standing start, acheive a certain altitude, (only a few feet) and maintain flight through a figure eight course before touching down. There was a prize offered by a sponsoring agency as an incentive. This was a similar competition as was the "X Prize for the first civilian rocket flight into space, that was won last year by Burt Rutan's designed ship.
I may be wrong, but I think Burt Rutan was involved in this human powered flight endeavor. Rutan certainly was involed in the historic around the world non stop flight, made in another fiberglass and plastic wrap aircraft.
This occured about 10 years ago.
Do a search for "human powered flight" Do another for "Gossamer Albatross"
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