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Up in the air with a human-powered helicopter

Amazing. Interesting how they decided to test something like that indoors.
Looks like it's probably not safe with wind yet.
 
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Yea, I don't know how that is creating enough lift.

Also curious as to how much that contraption weighs and how much resistance are on those pedals and hand cranks?
 
Big deal. Human powered helicopters have been around since the Stone Age.

185143.jpg
 
mpo said:
71 lbs; 460 watts to maintain a 2-foot hover for a 135 lb pilot.
http://www.agrc.umd.edu/gamera/docs/2012-gamera2-handout.pdf
Click to expand...
Every year, I have students sprint up staircases in order to measure their power output. Everyone thinks that the lightest students are the most powerful, because their times are typically lower. But, take a 200 pound student in good shape, and they often double the power output of lighter students. Why? It's kind of a duh - people with larger, more muscular let muscles have more powerful legs.

I'm wondering if they're taking the wrong approach - perhaps instead of finding scrawny students (in good shape) to power their helicopter, perhaps they should aim for bigger students? If their ratio is 71 pounds of machine, 135 pounds of pilot, then roughly 34-35% of the power of the pilot is used to get the machine's weight off the ground. But, with a 71 pound machine and 180 pound pilot, 28% of their power is for the machine's weight.
 
DrPizza said:
Every year, I have students sprint up staircases in order to measure their power output. Everyone thinks that the lightest students are the most powerful, because their times are typically lower. But, take a 200 pound student in good shape, and they often double the power output of lighter students. Why? It's kind of a duh - people with larger, more muscular let muscles have more powerful legs.

I'm wondering if they're taking the wrong approach - perhaps instead of finding scrawny students (in good shape) to power their helicopter, perhaps they should aim for bigger students? If their ratio is 71 pounds of machine, 135 pounds of pilot, then roughly 34-35% of the power of the pilot is used to get the machine's weight off the ground. But, with a 71 pound machine and 180 pound pilot, 28% of their power is for the machine's weight.
Click to expand...

All depends if the airframe could handle the weight.

I'm sure if I climbed in that thing it would crumple into a twisted pile on the floor.
 
 
Originally Posted by dmcowen674
All depends if the airframe could handle the weight.

I'm sure if I climbed in that thing it would crumple into a twisted pile on the floor.


Jeffg010 said:
Everything you touched in your life has done that no surprise there.
Click to expand...

You would be wise to stay clear then
 
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