OT Human powered helicopter (AKA "Kinetic art")

[Tim+]

I want one. ;-)

It's a video of a human powered helicopter. A thing of beauty and utter uselessness. ;-)

Tim

[Jim K]

he looked f**ked when he landed it!!

Jim K

[Tim+]

I think he just ran out of string. ;-).

Interesting to see that the drive was achieved by just reeling in cords, a bit like spinning four large tops. It must be hard work though considering he has to lift himself AND the copter off the ground using just his own power.

Tim

[The Natural Philosopher]

Oddley enough the ultimate energy gained is no worse than say walking upstairs.

The rest is wasted sue to stirring air about.

That's why the blades are so big and move so slow.

same power produces much more thrust.

[Tim+]

Same as walking up stairs carrying a helicopter on your back presumably?

Tim

[S Viemeister]

An autogiro would be more useful. The father of a childhood friend built one in his basement. IIRC, it had both pedals and a petrol engine - it actually flew.

[The Natural Philosopher]

[Tim+]

So not that easy then? ;-). Amazingly the helicopter "only" weighs 55kg but that still quite a lot to haul upstairs for over a minute.

Tim

[Tim Downie]

I don't think that would count as "human powered". The pedals were presunably just a way of spinning up the big rotor from rest while the petrol engine provided the forward thrust. Once there's enough forward speed the main rotor just "windmills" and needs no direct power source.

Besides, we're not talking "usefulness" here, we're talking about art. ;-)

Tim

[Graham.]

If they can't find a use for the $250,000 Sikorsky prize I'll have it.

[Jim K]

there might not be much left once they've paid the bills ;>)

Jim K

[fred]

In article , Graham. writes

I bet Sikorsky were overjoyed to see Bell Helicopter on the credits list.

All in all an impressive feat, thanks for the heads-up Tim.

[F Murtz]

Not completely useless, they got money for it.

[Vir Campestris]

Huh? I've got stuff I've hauled upstairs, and left there for years.

It's the hauling that needs the power, not the keeping it there. His problem is that he hauls it up through a few metres of air - and the air moves away, so he has to keep doing it. All that effort is about dealing with inefficiencies.

Andy

[Rick Hughes]

Only what the army would carry on its back up & down Pen-y-fan during training ..... and for Hrs at a time