MIT Daedalus

The Daedalus Project was a project of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was designed and built in the 1986 to 1988 by professors and students of MIT, a human-powered aircraft. An aircraft of this type, the Daedalus 88, flew on 23 April 1988 by Heraklion on Crete to Santorini. A few meters from the beach of Santorini, a gust of wind broke the plane.

Built aircraft

Three aircraft of the same type were built:

  • Light Eagle: Net weight 42 kg, range 34 m, length 8.6 m; Prototype.
  • Daedalus 87: Net weight 31 kg, range 34 m, length 8.6 m; Rogers Dry Lakebed in crash on February 17, 1988, then rebuilt.
  • Daedalus 88: Empty weight 32 kg, total weight 104 kg, range 34 m, wing: 29,98 m²; flew from Crete to Santorini.

Basic structure

The secret of the capacity of the aircraft, the ( larger than a Boeing 727 wingspan) had an extraordinarily low weight for its size, lay in a careful selection of materials and thorough stress testing of the various components. The frame composed mainly of rods made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and the high-pressure -resistant polyester foam, the skin of Mylar. Gear boxes and all the gear were made of aluminum. About the pedal drive a three and a half foot tall propeller was driven by a gear ratio in the ratio of 1:1.5, with 105 revolutions per minute were achieved on average. About hand-operated lever elevator and rudder and adjustable propeller could be operated.

Graduated flights

The first flight in the prototype Light Eagle graduated from the amateur triathlete Lois McCallin: 1986, thereby laying 16 km back in 37 minutes. With the Light Eagle ( internally called " Emily " ) have established several records in January 1987 at Edwards Air Force Base by Glen Tremml and Lois McCallin.

With this aircraft, and the Daedalus 87 were carried out by NASA on Dryden Flight Research Center, among others, studies of the dynamics of aircraft with a low Reynolds number of 1987 through 1988. The results obtained from these studies had a direct influence on the design of many later -built, high and far -flying aircraft.

The Daedalus 88 should draw up a long-distance record for muscle- powered aircraft. According to the Greek legend of Daedalus, which should be escaped with the help of wings from feathers and wax the King Minos on Crete, led the record flight of Daedalus 88 on 23 April 1988 on a distance of 115 km from Heraklion, Crete to Santorini. Pilot was the Greek cyclist Kanellos Kanellopoulos. The aircraft covered the distance in 3 hours and 54 minutes. It reached an average speed of about 32 km / h ( with a tailwind ) and flew it at a height of 5 to 10 meters.

Equipped with a special glucose -mineral mixed drink he pedaled nearly four hours without major problems through the air. About 30 meters from the beach of Perissa in Santorini ended because of a gust of air in the water. By the squall until the stern, and shortly thereafter a wing was demolished. The pilot had to swim ashore. The wreck of the Daedalus 88 is now with the Light Eagle at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. The Daedalus 87 is exhibited in the Museum of Science in Boston.

Characteristics of the Daedalus 88

  • Crew: one pilot ( Kanellos Kanellopoulos )
  • Length: 8.6 m
  • Wingspan: 34 m
  • Wing size: 29.98 m²
  • Empty weight: 32 kg
  • Start Weight ( loaded): 104 kg
  • Drive: Pilot ( muscle strength )
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