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Flying while cycling

by Max Glaskin
Wed, Aug 29, 2012 17:18
6

OK - who fancies trying to beat the new world record for human powered helicopter flights? Yesterday the Gamera team at the University of Maryland flew their craft for 65 seconds. And in another flight the pilot pedalled hard enough to hover 8 ft off the ground.
If we are quick and glue together a few carbon tubes and add a decent power train, we could match both achievements at the same time and claim the AHS Sikorsky Prize.
C'mon - who's gonna join me?
39

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6 comments

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Max Glaskin | 12 years ago
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The Sikorsky Prize has been on offer for a few decades but they recently raised its value which has prompted much more activity. The Maryland team is now on its second version of the Gamera - and got so close to the 60 second flight peaking at 3 metres. Then they crashed. And crashed again. At least it gives Toronto's AeroVelo a chance to steal the prize.

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cborrman | 12 years ago
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i seem to remember they have been trying to get this for about 10 years... its taken them about two years just to get the same model from 5 seconds to 10 seconds to 30 seconds to now 65... #goodluck

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Max Glaskin | 12 years ago
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Good point. Wonder how high the human powered helicopter would fly if the pilot used Armstrong's methods?

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notfastenough | 12 years ago
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Well current headlines suggest Lance Armstrong was high as a kite for 7 years straight, that's got to be a record surely?! 19

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Gkam84 | 12 years ago
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Have you seen the thing?

Here is version one last year

http://youtu.be/wiX7Q_n9w-Q

MASSIVE

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Max Glaskin replied to Gkam84 | 12 years ago
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Oh yes, the YouTube videos of yesterday's flights in Gamera II are astounding. Sure, the pilot has to use handcranks as well as pedals but with a decent chainset I reckon we could eliminate that excess weight 3

In fact I asked if they needed more pilots and they said they always want cyclists who are "power dense" but they they didn't answer when I asked for specific figures.

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