Human-powered helicopter

A human-powered helicopter is a helicopter that is driven exclusively by muscle power, the pilot usually drives a rotor on pedals. Muscle force helicopters are human-powered aircraft and therefore belong to the muscle- powered vehicles. To fly the helicopter will be encouraged, as in all helicopters in a low power to weight ratio, what is especially important addition to the high performance of the " pilot " light weight of the device. In addition, rotors must be used with high efficiency, which means that they are to provide a high dynamic lift with low flow resistance.

Igor I. Sikorsky Price

The American Helicopter Society Igor Ivanovich wrote in 1980 one by Sikorski ( English spelling: Sikorsky ) named competition. The conditions were, among other things, that it is possible the pilot to keep the helicopter for 60 seconds in the air, even to exceed during which the flight height of three meters and remain at 10 meters within a field of 10. In addition, other competitive conditions had to be met. As a prize money of 10,000 U.S. dollars were initially advertised, which were soon increased to U.S. $ 25,000. After it was not 30 years managed to reach the goal, the prize money for the first flight that meets the criteria has been increased by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation to 250,000 U.S. dollars.

A Canadian team consisting of students and staff of the University of Toronto won the prize money with a flight of muscle force helicopter "Atlas " by Aero bike in a sports hall in Vaughan (Ontario) on 13 June 2013. The helicopter with four rotors of a bicycle transmission driven and reaches the size of half a football field. The required height of 3 meters was achieved by the athlete Todd Reichert after 10 seconds and the unit will be held for 64 seconds in the air; the maximum flight height was 3.3 m.

History

• About 1490 Leonardo da Vinci sketched his "Helix Pteron " design called an air screw.
• 1768 was designed by the French mathematician Alexis -Jean -Pierre Paucton the first concept, Pterophore called for a muscle power helicopter with two separate responsible for lift and propulsion rotor.
• September 10, 1989: The first driven by muscle power helicopter "Da Vinci III " California Polytechnic State University flew for 7.1 seconds, reaching a height of 20 cm.
• May 12, 2011: At the University of Maryland flies muscle strength helicopter " Gamera (I) " with combined hand and foot pedal drive 4.2 seconds.
• July 31, 2011: The biology student Judy Wexler flies with " Gamera (I) " 11.4 seconds, setting a new record.
• June 21, 2012: Increase student at the University of Maryland with " Gamera II" with conical rotor blades now a record for flight duration was 49.9 seconds.
• June 13, 2013: Aero Velo wins the Sikorski - price.