Ikarus | |
---|---|
Role | Human-powered aircraft |
National origin | United Kingdom |
Designer | Emiel Hartman |
Built by | Don Campbell |
First flight | 1959 |
Number built | 1 |
The Ikarus was a human-powered ornithopter, designed by the sculptor and designer Emiel Hartman in the late 1950s. [1]
The ornithopter was a high-wing monoplane, with the pilot seated in a recumbent position. Its construction followed conventional glider practice of the time. The fuselage had a bulkhead construction, covered in thin plywood. The wings featured a torsion-box spar and leading edge arrangement, and were also made from thin plywood. A series of 30 'feathers', covered in madapollam cotton were attached aft of the spar, and were able to individually bend and twist as the wings were flapped. [2] The wings could be flapped through an arc of 30° dihedral to 10° anhedral, via a parallelogram structure which the pilot could operate using leg and arm power, with a rowing-like action. Bungee cords were integrated into the drive mechanism, to absorb and release energy as needed. [1] [3] It was expected that the wings would flap at 30 beats per minute. [2] The craft featured a conventional empennage, with the pilot being able to control the elevator and rudder. There was no provision for lateral control. There was a tricycle undercarriage, with a steerable nosewheel. [1] [2]
Design of the ornithopter began in February 1958, with Hartman seeking advice from a number of aviation organisations and consultants. Construction commenced in August, with the work being undertaken by the glider constructor Don Campbell of Hungerford, Berkshire. [2] The craft was completed by August 1959, with initial taxi trials being undertaken in September. In mid-October, the Ikarus was delivered to Cranfield Airport for further tests. [2]
Flight testing commenced on Sunday, 1 November 1959, with Hartman acting as pilot. Non-flapping flights were made, towed behind an automobile. During a subsequent towed flight, conducted on Wednesday, 4 November, at an altitude of 30 ft (9.1 m), Hartman experienced control difficulties due to a 7 mph (11 km/h) crosswind, landed heavily and incurred a ground loop, which damaged the port wing. [4] [5]
In 1964, it was reported that the Ikarus was still in storage at the College of Aeronautics, at Cranfield, with no further flight attempts having been made. [4] The project (including design, drawing, and construction) was said to have involved 4,624 hours worth of work, and to have cost £2,450. [2]
Data from Sailplane and Gliding [2]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
Ikarus | |
---|---|
Role | Human-powered aircraft |
National origin | United Kingdom |
Designer | Emiel Hartman |
Built by | Don Campbell |
First flight | 1959 |
Number built | 1 |
The Ikarus was a human-powered ornithopter, designed by the sculptor and designer Emiel Hartman in the late 1950s. [1]
The ornithopter was a high-wing monoplane, with the pilot seated in a recumbent position. Its construction followed conventional glider practice of the time. The fuselage had a bulkhead construction, covered in thin plywood. The wings featured a torsion-box spar and leading edge arrangement, and were also made from thin plywood. A series of 30 'feathers', covered in madapollam cotton were attached aft of the spar, and were able to individually bend and twist as the wings were flapped. [2] The wings could be flapped through an arc of 30° dihedral to 10° anhedral, via a parallelogram structure which the pilot could operate using leg and arm power, with a rowing-like action. Bungee cords were integrated into the drive mechanism, to absorb and release energy as needed. [1] [3] It was expected that the wings would flap at 30 beats per minute. [2] The craft featured a conventional empennage, with the pilot being able to control the elevator and rudder. There was no provision for lateral control. There was a tricycle undercarriage, with a steerable nosewheel. [1] [2]
Design of the ornithopter began in February 1958, with Hartman seeking advice from a number of aviation organisations and consultants. Construction commenced in August, with the work being undertaken by the glider constructor Don Campbell of Hungerford, Berkshire. [2] The craft was completed by August 1959, with initial taxi trials being undertaken in September. In mid-October, the Ikarus was delivered to Cranfield Airport for further tests. [2]
Flight testing commenced on Sunday, 1 November 1959, with Hartman acting as pilot. Non-flapping flights were made, towed behind an automobile. During a subsequent towed flight, conducted on Wednesday, 4 November, at an altitude of 30 ft (9.1 m), Hartman experienced control difficulties due to a 7 mph (11 km/h) crosswind, landed heavily and incurred a ground loop, which damaged the port wing. [4] [5]
In 1964, it was reported that the Ikarus was still in storage at the College of Aeronautics, at Cranfield, with no further flight attempts having been made. [4] The project (including design, drawing, and construction) was said to have involved 4,624 hours worth of work, and to have cost £2,450. [2]
Data from Sailplane and Gliding [2]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists