Sikorsky prize finally won man powered helicopter

[chunkolini]

Man powered helicopter finally works
I have been following this story for twenty years.
The Sikorsky prize of £250000, was offered up thirty years ago to win it you had to keep a man powered helicopter in the air for over 1 minute and stay centred within a 10sq box.
it was won this year by The Atlas project machine by AeroVelo link to their website http://www.aerovelo.com/
and film clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syJq10EQkog...

Over the years there have been heroic failures, dreamers, near misses
Probably a completely pointless venture.
But I love this stuff.
When it goes into production I will be first in line.

 

[Psychosaffa]

that is awesome!! i wonder what the tip speed of those blades are as it looks quite slow.

 

[chunkolini]

They have also just taken the world human powered speed record at 83mph

http://www.aerovelo.com/2013/10/11/battle-mountain-2013-photo-and-video-journal/

Real heroes in my book

 

[BeeJay99]

Pfm!!

 

[mike os]

wow, that was one I thought would never be done

 

[pedrobedro]

Pfm!!

Pink Fish Media ?

Excellent clip and great achievement for the bike site

 

[chunkolini]

Check out the gallery, the helicopter crashing is heartbraking
Then look for the ornithopter.
Ok it is tow launched but still impressive.
The AeroVelo site has gone in my favourites.
I looked up PFM, cant remember; an expression of incredulousness. History http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pfm

 

[nickk]

heroes & such determination,is it cable drive to the rotors?

 

[BeeJay99]

Pink Fish Media ?

Pure magic

 

[Luke]

Very impressive!

Looks like the props are all driven by string, running round a modified crank on the bike, with diverting pulleys at the bottom taking the string out to the 'wheels' on the prop shafts.

 

[CRB]

I think the velomobile as personal transportation has the edge.

Flippin' huge that cycling helicopter.