People have dreamed of flying like birds for centuries. Daredevils of all sorts and status tried to create devices to fly at will. Not everyone worked... and not all pilots survived. In order to successfully take to the air and hover in it, the inventors needed to own experience find a balance between weight, energy and aerodynamics. Here are ten of the most incredible attempts to invent personal wings.
Although attempts to take off go back centuries, George Cayley is considered the first person to analyze the technical side of the flight issue. Trying different models, Cayley designed fixed-wing devices and came to the conclusion that flight requires lift, propulsion (forward) and control. By the early nineteenth century, Cayley was working on various gliders, adding wings and rudders that were concave at slight angles. He also realized that his airframe needed an engine, but was unable to build one. Without this component, Cayley's device flew only a couple of hundred yards (almost two hundred meters) and fell. Richard Branson created a replica of Cayley's apparatus in 2003.
Helene Alberti (1931)
A former opera singer and burlesque dancer, Madame Helene Alberti was also a pioneer of the flying suit. She believed so strongly in the "Greek cosmic law of motion" that she set out to discover flight school after successfully demonstrating his costume. Space movement was supposed to be based on the principles formulated by Arthur Noyes. Alberti stated that people's nerves are engines, and willpower is their ignition key. If you wave your wings back and forth, the cosmic movement will give you flight. When Alberti first tested this theory outside of Boston in 1929, the wind blew and turned it into a broken toy. She enlisted the help of a man from Concord, New Hampire, to improve the design of her costume, and tried again ... but plowed the ground with her nose. All this was filmed on video, by the way.
Clem Son (1935)
A group of daredevils including Clem Sohn (above) experimented in the 1930s with wingsuits made from canvas, baleen and silk. Son took the plane up to 3,000 meters and then jumped out using wings under his arms and between his legs to hover for 75 seconds. He usually landed with a parachute, but in 1937 it failed to open and Son crashed to his death. Unfortunately, this happened frequently, and between 1930 and 1960 about 70 Birdmen died.
Francis and Gertrude Rogallo (1948)
Although Francis Rogallo served on the National Board of the Aeronautics Committee, no one on the board was interested in "flexible wing" devices other than him. Rogallo brought the idea home and developed a prototype with his wife Gertrude. They used cardboard and table fans to build wind tunnels. Then Gertrude made a triangular kite out of colored kitchen curtains. Initially, Rogallo filed his device as a kite, but eventually adapted it for hang-gliding and paragliding. Remarkably, NASA was interested in Rogallo's invention to land space capsules back to earth. They paid him $35,000 for the idea, but in the end, in the heat of the space race, they decided to stick with conventional parachutes.
Rocket belt (1961)
With the money of the American army, Harold Graham was the first to fly on the rocket belt, which was invented by Wendell Moore in 1961. He flew 33 meters in 13 seconds on pressurized hydrogen peroxide. Due to the limited fuel that a person could carry, rocket belts allowed flight for no more than a minute and were difficult to control. This design has since been refined by NASA for astronauts using the Manned Maneuvering Unit to propel themselves independently outside of the Space Shuttle.
Aviator competition
When human-piloted aircraft (so-called muscle planes) became common in the 1980s, competition began around the world, the main goal of which was to turn aviation into an extreme sport. Using available lightweight materials to produce their designs, amateur aviators built and flew in competition with each other. The Queenstown Festival in New Zealand hosts "birdman competitions". Another similar competition is the Icarus Cup in England, in which pilots compete in short, long flights, takeoffs and landings. The very first prize in this tournament went to Paul Macready and his Gossamer Condor in 1977. It will be discussed in the next paragraph.
Gossamer Condor/Albatross
Paul Macready's Gossamer Condor successfully flew 2 kilometers in 1977 and won the British Muscle Flying Prize established in 1959. Its successor, the Gossamer Albatross, became the first muscle car to cross the English Channel. At some points he flew six inches above the waves at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour. Macready later worked with NASA to test the unmanned Gossamer Albatross at 20,000 meters above the ground. NASA (and the military, perhaps) became interested in the Macready project because it provided more speed and control than a balloon, and could stay above the target longer than airplanes.
Yves Rossy
Another manned aircraft that crossed the English Channel was designed by professional pilot Yves Rossy. Rossi's device was distinguished by four jet engines that were attached to the back. Each turbine was a modified version of the one used in military drones. In addition, every part of Rossi's "wing" was special: a fiberglass shell, a carbon fiber frame, an electronic control module and tanks with 13 liters of jet fuel. Rossi controlled the wing with his own body movements, steered by turning his head. It wasn't until 2007 that Rossi got the sponsorship of watch manufacturer Swiss and stopped spending his own money on the wing. He plans to assemble a simpler model that can be put into widespread production.
With the advent of wingsuits made of durable fabric, BASE jumping became an extreme sport that the birdmen became interested in. Jumping from buildings or natural cliffs, BASE jumpers either deploy their parachute or soar through the air at high speed using their inflatable fabric wings. Many die in accidents every year, including the death of the first wingsuit jumper, Patrick de Gayardon, in 1998.
The Puffin
From this list, it became clear that NASA often invested in personal flight device research year after year. In 2010, the agency unveiled The Puffin concept, designed by aerospace engineer Mark Moore. The Internet went wild with anticipation. According to the implementation plan (which for some reason was delayed), The Puffin should use sensitive engines and control systems, so that the device will "feel" the pilot's intentions, much like a horse understands the rider's intentions. The Puffin will be able to lift 100 kilograms of weight, will be 3.7 meters long, with a wingspan of 4.4 meters. It takes off vertically and, finding itself in a soaring position, turns over and flies horizontally.
Mankind has been striving upward for centuries and millennia; legends, myths, traditions and fairy tales are composed of people's attempts to overcome the earth's gravity. The ancient gods could move in the air on their chariots, someone did not even need them. The most famous "sky pilots" include Icarus, as well as Santa Claus (aka Santa Claus).
More real examples for history are Leonardo da Vinci, the Montgolfier brothers and other engineers, as well as enthusiasts who are passionate about their ideas, such as, for example, the American Wright brothers. The modern era of aircraft construction began with the latter, it was they who brought out some of the fundamental principles that are still used today.
As in the case of automobiles, the efficiency of aircraft grew over time, and designers got more opportunities to create some new, often revolutionary means of air transportation. With sufficient funding and support from those in power (more often - the military), it was possible to realize the most unusual projects. Often these were devices unadapted to life, which could only fly on paper. Others did get off the ground, but their production turned out to be too expensive. There were also other restrictions, including those of a technical nature.
We decided to list some both forgotten and promising aircraft for personal use. These are not transport aircraft. a large number passengers or bulky cargo, but individual means of transportation, attracting with their unusualness and theoretically capable of simplifying the life of a person of the future.
(Total 30 photos + 10 videos)
Sponsor of the post: Splitmart.ru - air conditioners, climate technology
HZ-1 Aerocycle (YHO-2)
1. The HZ-1 Aerocycle (YHO-2) is a personal helicopter developed by de Lackner Helicopters in the mid-1950s. The customer of the device was the US military, who intended to provide their soldiers with a convenient means of transportation. The Aerocycle was a platform, from below to which two propellers rotating in different directions were attached (the length of each blade was more than 4.5 meters).
2. They were powered by a 43 horsepower 4-cylinder engine, maximum speed unit flight - up to 110 km / h.
3. The YHO-2 was tested by professional pilot Selmer Sandby, who became a volunteer in this matter. His longest flight lasted 43 minutes, others ended a few seconds after takeoff. There were also incidents: several times the blades of two propellers touched, which led to their deformation, as well as loss of control over the apparatus.
4. It was assumed that anyone could fly the YHO-2 after a 20-minute briefing, but Sandby doubted this. The danger was carried by huge blades that could frighten a person, even though the pilot's position was fixed by seat belts. The engineers were never able to solve the problem with the propellers, and as a result, the project was closed. Of the 12 ordered personal helicopters, only one remained intact - it is exhibited in one of the American museums. By the way, Selmer Sandby received the Flying Merit Cross for his service and participation in the YHO-2 tests.
jetpack
5. In the 1950s, another promising individual vehicle was being developed - the jetpack. This idea, featured in science fiction back in the 1920s, later embodied in comics and films (for example, "Rocketman" in 1991), but before that, engineers and designers spent a lot of effort on implementing the idea of making a rocket man. Attempts have not stopped so far, but the level of technology development still does not allow to overcome some limitations. In particular, there is no talk of a long-term flight yet, controllability also leaves much to be desired. There are also questions regarding the safety of the pilot
6. The "pioneer" among rocket packs was distinguished by incredible "gluttony": a flight lasting up to 30 seconds required 19 liters of hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide). The pilot could effectively jump into the air or fly a hundred meters, but this was where all the advantages of the device ended. To maintain a single satchel, a whole team of specialists was required, its speed of movement was relatively low, and to increase the flight range, a tank was needed, which the pilot could not hold.
7. The military, who saw in a very expensive project the prospect of creating space infantry or flying special forces, were disappointed.
8. Subsequently, a modernized version of the device appeared - RB 2000 Rocket Belt. Its development was carried out by three Americans: insurance seller and entrepreneur Brad Barker, businessman Joe Wright and engineer Larry Stanley. Unfortunately, the group broke up: Stanley accused Barker of embezzlement and the latter fled with a sample of RB 2000. A court later followed, but Barker refused to pay $ 10 million. Stanley grabbed a former partner and put him in a box for eight days, for which in 2002, after the flight of an insurance agent, he received a life sentence (it was reduced to eight years). After all these ups and downs, the RB 2000 was never found.
Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar
9. In the late 1940s, the so-called Roswell Incident occurred, which probably influenced the minds of Canadian engineers. They took part in the development of the Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar VTOL aircraft. When looking at it, an analogy with flying saucers immediately comes to mind. The pilot project cost at least three years and $10 million. In total, two copies of the high-tech "doughnut" with a turbine in the middle were built.
10. It was assumed that Avrocar, using the Coanda effect (since 2012 it has been operated in Formula 1), will be able to develop high speed. Being maneuverable and having a decent flight range, it will eventually turn into a "flying jeep". The diameter of the "dish" with two cockpits for pilots was 5.5 meters, the height was less than a meter, and the weight was 2.5 tons. The maximum flight speed of Avrocar, according to the designers, was to reach 480 km / h, the flight altitude - more than 3 thousand meters.
11. The second full-fledged prototype did not justify the hopes of its creators: it could only accelerate to an unimpressive 56 km / h. In addition, the device behaved unpredictably in the air, and there was no talk of an effective flight. The engineers also found out that it would not be possible to lift the Avrocar into the air to any significant height, and the existing sample risked getting stuck in tall grass or small shrubs.
AeroVelo Atlas bicycle helicopter
13. In 2013, two Canadian engineers received the Sikorsky Prize, established in 1980. Initially, its size was 10 thousand dollars. In 2009, payments increased to 250 thousand dollars. According to the rules of the competition, the muscle-powered aircraft had to take off into the air to a height of at least three meters, while having good stability and controllability.
14. The creators of AeroVelo Atlas were able to complete all the tasks, presenting in their own way a futuristic vehicle worthy of conquering the sky of a planet with low gravity. Despite its huge size (the width of the bicycle helicopter was 58 meters, and the weight was only 52 kg), the worthy successor to da Vinci's ideas took off and even in a sense surpassed the “competitor” in the face of Avrocar: its flight height was 3.3 meters, the duration was - over a minute.
15. At peak, the Atlas pilot was able to generate the 1.5 horsepower required to reach the target altitude. At the end of the flight, the thrust was 0.8 horsepower - a trained athlete, a professional cyclist, pedaled.
A bicycle helicopter deserves attention as proof that, if desired, many obstacles can be bypassed and even something that does not inspire confidence at rest can be made to fly.
Hoverbike Chris Malloy
16. Someone is inspired by UFO stories and Chris Malloy is probably a fan star wars". So far, unfortunately, this is only an idea, partially embodied: the Australian continues to raise funds for the production of a fully working prototype of the aircraft.
17. To do this, he will need $ 1.1 million, but for now there are miniature versions of the hoverbike on sale: these are drones, through the sale of which Malloy intends to partially finance the construction of his offspring.
18. The engineer believes that his aircraft is better than the existing helicopters (it is with them that he compares the hoverbike). The unit does not require advanced knowledge in the field of piloting, as the main tasks will be performed by a computer. In addition, the device is lighter and cheaper.
19. It is planned that the device will be equipped with a tank of 30 liters of fuel (60 liters - with additional tanks), the flow rate will be 30 liters per hour, or 0.5 liters per minute. The width of the hoverbike reaches 1.3 meters, the length is 3 meters, the net weight is 105 kg, the maximum takeoff weight- 270 kg.
20. The unit will be able to take off to a height of almost 3 km, and its speed will be more than 250 km/h. All this sounds promising, but so far it is unlikely.
21. A fully working water-powered rocket pack prototype was completed in 2008. According to its creators, the first draft of the future device appeared eight years before. A promo demonstrating the capabilities of the Jetlev was posted on YouTube in 2009, at the same time the developer company announced the cost of the first mass version of the device - 139.5 thousand dollars. Over time, the water-powered pack has noticeably decreased in price, which has decreased for the R200x model to 68.5 thousand dollars. This became possible due to the emerging competition.
22. In our list, this is the first aircraft that actually exists, works and has a certain popularity. It is “tied” to the water, but this does not detract from its merits: the maximum flight speed of the current model is 40 km / h, the height is about 40 meters. Given a sufficiently long river, a Jetlev pilot could cover almost 50 km (another question is whether there is a person who can withstand such a path).
23. The development does not claim to be a “serious” vehicle, but it will make you feel like James Bond, who has a new gadget from research center British Secret Service.
M400 Skycar
24. One of the most controversial projects, which in the end may not be implemented. The designer Paul Moller has been creating a flying car for more than a decade. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for him to draw attention to his vehicles that never took off. For all the time, the inventor has not been able to achieve significant and visible results, but at least since 1997 he has regularly attracted attention. financial services and regulatory authorities.
25. Initially, Moller was accused of issuing marketing materials in which he announced that his cars of the future would fill the airspace within a few years. Then doubts were raised by operations with securities and the possible deception of investors, as a result of which there were fewer and fewer people willing to invest in a bottomless project. The Canadian made his last attempt at the end of 2013, but by January 2014 he had collected less than $30,000 out of the required $950,000.
26. According to the designer, the M400X Skycar is currently under development. A car designed to carry one person (driver) is, on paper, capable of reaching speeds of up to 530 km/h and taking off to a height of 10,000 meters. In reality, the idea is likely to remain an idea, and Paul Moller's life's work, who turns 78 this year, will end in nothing.
Flying Motorcycle G2
27. In the future, it will definitely fly - this is evidenced by the tests of the first model carried out in 2005-2006. In the meantime, the device, which managed to win the title of "the world's fastest flying motorcycle", will suit Mad Max, Batman or 007.
28. Powered by a Suzuki GSX-R1000 engine, vehicle capable of reaching speeds of more than 200 km / h, which has been proven during races in the salt desert in the United States. The ability to conquer the sky, according to the developer, the flying motorcycle will receive in the coming months.
29. It was not in vain that the inventor chose a bike as the basis for the aircraft: according to American law, it will be much easier to register and use it on the roads.
30. Now Dejø Molnar is working on how to reduce the weight of the G2 and adapt the engine that drives the motorcycle to interact with the propeller. It was then that the engineer will publish a video demonstrating all the capabilities of the vehicle he is creating.
Man has long dreamed of learning to fly like a bird, and aircraft are exactly what this desire and the scientific and technical vector of human development led him to. Aircraft - a long branch of evolution and progress, starting first unsuccessful attempts to create a muscle plane (like the one with which Icarus blundered) and ending with modern Boeings, fighters, bombers, spacecraft- everything that allows us to move, bypassing land and sea. Despite the seemingly unimaginably complex technology behind them, aircraft are for the most part considered a relatively safe and fast means of transportation. Only tragedies that claim the lives of several hundred people at once cause a special resonance. However, a person’s desire is the law, and it can be said with confidence that he overfulfilled the plan to repeat the feat of the birds of this world.
A zeppelin, more commonly known as an airship, is a controlled balloon propelled by power plant, which works on the basis of lightweight hydrogen or helium. The surge in the operation of this vehicle occurred at the beginning of the 20th century, when it was considered not just a means of transportation, but also a luxurious way to show one's well-being to the wealthy segment of the population. Nearly 80 years after the last one, huge flying giants may return to the skies and become part of our daily lives. However, this time the airships will not be used to transport passengers, but as an environmentally friendly vehicle for delivering goods around the world.
With the current technological progress, you will not surprise anyone with such a phenomenon as an aircraft. But not every layman knows how the era of conquering the sky began and to what level they reached modern technologies. Therefore, there is every reason to pay more attention to the technology that moves in the atmosphere.
What can be defined as a device that can fly?
Before moving on to more detailed information, it is worth clarifying the meaning of key terms. An aircraft is a device designed to fly in the atmosphere of our planet and even in space. Such equipment, as a rule, is divided into three main types: models that are lighter than air, heavier and space.
In order for each type of apparatus to be able to fly successfully, the aerodynamic, aerostatic and gas-dynamic principle of lift is used. For example, an airship rises into the air due to the difference in density between the gas inside it and the atmosphere itself.
The aircraft is steered through the use of thrust and lift. This principle is vividly implemented in aircraft with jet engine and modern helicopters.
Where did it all begin?
Humanity began to take bold steps to overcome gravity a very long time ago. But the world saw the first aircraft only after 1647. It was then that an airplane with a motor took off into the air, which made a full flight. In order for this device to be able to move, the Italian developer Titu Livio Burattini equipped his creation with two pairs of fixed wings, and equipped the other four (in the front and rear of the body) with springs that made it possible to use the ornithopter principle for flight.
The Englishman Robert Hooke was also able to assemble a similar mechanism. His ornithopter successfully flew into the air 7 years after the success of the Italian inventor.
In 1763, Melchior Bauer presented to the public a project according to which his apparatus had fixed wings and moved with the help of a propeller.
It is significant that it was the Russian scientist M.V. Lomonosov who was the first to develop and build a model that was heavier than air and worked on the principle of a helicopter equipped with coaxial propellers.
Almost a hundred years later, in 1857, the airplane of the Frenchman Felix du Temple made a full flight. This apparatus was set in motion thanks to an electric motor and a twelve-bladed propeller.
Types of aircraft
As mentioned above, there are several types of devices that can overcome the earth's gravity: those that are lighter and heavier than air, as well as models that are designed to fly into space.
Those devices that are considered to be heavy include such equipment as helicopters, airplanes, rotorcraft, ekranoplans, gyroplanes, gliders and others. Wherein lifting force, necessary for flight, is provided mainly by fixed wings and only partially by the tail, as well as the fuselage. Since the body of such devices has big weight, in order for the lift force to exceed the mass of the aircraft or glider, it is necessary to develop a certain speed. It is for this reason that runways are needed.
In the case of helicopters, gyroplanes and rotorcraft, lift is generated by the rotation of the main rotor blades. In this regard, such devices do not need a runway for lifting into the air, as well as for landing.
It is worth noting that, unlike helicopters, rotorcraft rise into the atmosphere by rotating both the carrier and propellers. Now there are many models of various designs. For example, some vehicles use a jet engine.
Light aviation
The desire to conquer the airspace led to the development of technologies that allowed everyone to take to the air. It's about about SLA (ultralight aircraft). This type of equipment is different in that its maximum take-off weight does not exceed 495 kg.
In this case, such devices are divided into two main types:
Motorized (gyroplanes, aeroshooters, ultralight helicopters, motorized hang gliders, parolets, amphibians-SLA, hydro-SLA, motor paragliders, hang gliders and microplanes);
- non-motorized (paragliders, hang gliders).
It is important to understand that balloons, balloons and parachutes do not fall into the category of "ultralight aircraft".
Such a branch of aviation as ALS is very popular, in connection with which new models and types of this equipment are constantly being developed.
Amateur projects
The passion of many inhabitants for free movement in the air is so strong that many enthusiasts independently assemble devices that can fly.
Of course, if anyone makes details of equipment designed for bold flights in a garage, then it is extremely rare. The vast majority of ordinary people, focused on homemade aircraft, order components from reliable manufacturers and, following the instructions, assemble their own heavenly offspring.
If you carefully follow all the instructions, and besides, consult a live instructor, then there is every chance of getting a high-quality design on which you can safely rise into the sky.
Homemade aircraft, as a rule, have the form of a glider. And there are models with and without a motor. In order to use the glider, in principle, no documentation is needed. But in the event that there is a motor, the control of the device is possible only with the appropriate permission.
Process Automation
Progress does not stand still, and with the development of the scientific and technical base, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have appeared.
For the first time such devices began to be used in Israel (1973) for intelligence gathering. Today, such technologies are used in various spheres of life. modern society and their popularity continues to grow.
It is not difficult to explain the increased demand for UAVs: they eliminate the need for the presence of the crew and are quite economical both in production and in operation. Moreover, they can easily perform those maneuvers that are inaccessible to conventional aircraft due to the strong physical overload of the pilots. In addition, such a factor as crew fatigue becomes irrelevant, which significantly increases the potential duration of the flight.
On this moment there are more than 50 manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles. The number of types of UAVs they produce exceeds the mark of 150 models.
Basically, such aircraft are used for military purposes (reconnaissance, destruction of ground elements).
Video filming from the air
Since various ways of capturing beautiful views have long been a passion for thousands of people around the planet, aircraft did not have to wait long for such an upgrade as a digital video camera. Now there are a lot of multicopters and quadrocopters (they are also drones), which are actively used to get the original video and not only.
In fact, an aircraft with a camera, which is controlled remotely, can be used for any private purposes or professional tasks (aerial photography of the area, aerial surveillance, documentary filmmaking, etc.). For this reason, this technique is very popular. In addition, the purchase of a multicopter does not require large expenses.
The civilian population often uses drones for surveillance hard-to-reach terrain and filming of original videos.
Aircraft control systems
In order to engage various mechanisms of the aircraft during the flight, signals are transmitted directly from the controls themselves, which are located in the cockpit, to various drives of the aerodynamic surfaces.
Such a system is called electrically remote (EDSU). It uses electrical signals to transmit control commands.
At the same time, the electric remote control system can be divided into two main types: with mechanical reserve and full responsibility. Mechanical wiring is used if the EDSU fails.
At the same time, in modern models of aircraft with a crew, an autopilot is used, which collects information about angular movements and corrects the position of the aircraft, as well as its course.
In the case of helicopters automatic system piloting partially facilitates the work of the pilot. For example, it removes the need to monitor angular movements.
As for remote control, say drones, in this case a special remote control can be used. Often such an aircraft is controlled using smartphones.
Results
Based on the above information, it can be concluded that aircraft, helicopters, drones and different kinds drones have taken a strong place both in privacy ordinary citizens, and in the military industry of many countries. Therefore, there is every reason to expect that the future level of everyday comfort and tactical superiority of states will invariably be associated with the technological development of the main areas of aviation.
Mankind has been striving upward for centuries and millennia; legends, myths, traditions and fairy tales are composed of people's attempts to overcome the earth's gravity. The ancient gods could move in the air on their chariots, someone did not even need them. The most famous "sky pilots" include Icarus, as well as Santa Claus (aka Santa Claus).
More real examples for history are Leonardo da Vinci, the Montgolfier brothers and other engineers, as well as enthusiasts who are passionate about their ideas, such as, for example, the American Wright brothers. The modern era of aircraft construction began with the latter, it was they who brought out some of the fundamental principles that are still used today.
As in the case of automobiles, the efficiency of aircraft grew over time, and designers got more opportunities to create some new, often revolutionary means of air transportation. With sufficient funding and support from those in power (more often - the military), it was possible to realize the most unusual projects. Often these were devices unadapted to life, which could only fly on paper. Others did get off the ground, but their production turned out to be too expensive. There were also other restrictions, including those of a technical nature.
We decided to list some both forgotten and promising aircraft for personal use. These are not planes for transporting a large number of passengers or bulky cargo, but individual vehicles that attract with their unusualness and theoretically can simplify the life of a person of the future.
HZ-1 Aerocycle (YHO-2) Personal helicopter developed by de Lackner Helicopters in the mid-1950s. The customer of the device was the US military, who intended to provide their soldiers with a convenient means of transportation. The Aerocycle was a platform, from below to which two propellers rotating in different directions were attached (the length of each blade was more than 4.5 meters). They were driven by a 4-cylinder engine with a capacity of 43 horsepower, the maximum flight speed of the unit was up to 110 km / h. 
The YHO-2 was tested by professional pilot Selmer Sandby, who became a volunteer in this matter. His longest flight lasted 43 minutes, others ended a few seconds after takeoff. There were also incidents: several times the blades of two propellers touched, which led to their deformation, as well as loss of control over the apparatus.
It was assumed that anyone could fly the YHO-2 after a 20-minute briefing, but Sandby doubted this. The danger was carried by huge blades that could frighten a person, even though the pilot's position was fixed by seat belts. The engineers were never able to solve the problem with the propellers, and as a result, the project was closed. Of the 12 ordered personal helicopters, only one remained intact - it is exhibited in one of the American museums. By the way, Selmer Sandby received the Flying Merit Cross for his service and participation in the YHO-2 tests. 
Jetpack.
In the 1950s, another promising individual vehicle was being developed - the jetpack. This idea, which appeared in science fiction as far back as the 1920s, later found its embodiment in comics and films (for example, "The Rocketeer" in 1991), but before that, engineers and designers spent a lot of effort on realizing the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking a rocket man. Attempts have not stopped so far, but the level of technology development still does not allow to overcome some limitations. In particular, there is no talk of a long-term flight yet, controllability also leaves much to be desired. There are also questions regarding the safety of the pilot. 
The "pioneer" among rocket packs was distinguished by incredible "voracity": a flight lasting up to 30 seconds required 19 liters of hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide). The pilot could effectively jump into the air or fly a hundred meters, but this was where all the advantages of the device ended. To maintain a single satchel, a whole team of specialists was required, its speed of movement was relatively low, and to increase the flight range, a tank was needed, which the pilot could not hold.
The military, who saw in a very expensive project the prospect of creating space marines or flying special forces, were disappointed. 
Subsequently, a modernized version of the device appeared - RB 2000 Rocket Belt. Its development was carried out by three Americans: insurance seller and entrepreneur Brad Barker, businessman Joe Wright and engineer Larry Stanley. Unfortunately, the group broke up: Stanley accused Barker of embezzlement and the latter disappeared along with the RB 2000 sample. Later, a trial followed, but Barker refused to pay $ 10 million. Stanley grabbed his former partner and put him in a box for eight days, for which in 2002 after The flight insurance agent received a life sentence (it was reduced to eight years). After all these ups and downs, the RB 2000 was never found. 
Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar.
In the late 1940s, the so-called Roswell Incident occurred, which probably influenced the minds of Canadian engineers. They took part in the development of the Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar VTOL aircraft. When looking at it, an analogy with flying saucers immediately comes to mind. At least three years and $10 million were spent on the pilot project. In total, two copies of the high-tech “doughnut” with a turbine in the middle were built. 
It was assumed that Avrocar, using the Coanda effect (since 2012 it has been operated in Formula 1), will be able to develop high speed. Being maneuverable and having a decent flight range, it will eventually turn into a "flying jeep". The diameter of the "dish" with two cockpits for pilots was 5.5 meters, the height was less than a meter, and the weight was 2.5 tons. The maximum flight speed of Avrocar, according to the designers, was to reach 480 km / h, the flight altitude - more than 3 thousand meters. 
The second full-fledged prototype did not justify the hopes of its creators: it could only accelerate to an unimpressive 56 km / h. In addition, the device behaved unpredictably in the air, and there was no talk of an effective flight. The engineers also found out that it would not be possible to lift the Avrocar into the air to any significant height, and the existing sample risked getting stuck in tall grass or small shrubs. 
AeroVelo Atlas bicycle helicopter
Last year, two Canadian engineers received the Sikorsky Prize, established in 1980. Initially, its size was $10,000. In 2009, payments increased to $250,000. According to the rules of the competition, a muscle-powered aircraft had to fly into the air to a height of at least three meters, while having good stability and controllability. 
The creators of AeroVelo Atlas were able to fulfill all the tasks, presenting in their own way a futuristic vehicle worthy of conquering the sky of a planet with low gravity. Despite its huge size (the width of the bicycle helicopter was 58 meters, and the weight was only 52 kg), the worthy successor to da Vinci's ideas took off and even in a sense surpassed the “competitor” in the face of Avrocar: its flight height was 3.3 meters, the duration was - over a minute. 
At peak, the Atlas pilot was able to generate the 1.5 horsepower required to reach the desired altitude. At the end of the flight, the thrust was 0.8 horsepower - a trained athlete, a professional cyclist, pedaled.
A bicycle helicopter deserves attention as proof that, if desired, many obstacles can be bypassed and even something that does not inspire confidence at rest can be made to fly. Hoverbike Chris Malloy.
Some are inspired by UFO stories, and Chris Malloy is probably a Star Wars fan. So far, unfortunately, this is only an idea, partially embodied: the Australian continues to raise funds for the production of a fully working prototype of the aircraft. To do this, he will need $ 1.1 million, but for now there are miniature versions of the hoverbike on sale: these are drones, through the sale of which Malloy intends to partially finance the construction of his offspring. 
The engineer believes that his aircraft is better than existing helicopters (it is with them that he compares the hoverbike). The unit does not require advanced knowledge in the field of piloting, as the main tasks will be performed by a computer. In addition, the device is lighter and cheaper.
It is planned that the device will be equipped with a tank of 30 liters of fuel (60 liters - with additional tanks), the consumption will be 30 liters per hour, or 0.5 liters per minute. The width of the hoverbike reaches 1.3 meters, length - 3 meters, net weight - 105 kg, maximum takeoff weight - 270 kg. The unit will be able to take off to a height of almost 3 km, and its speed will be more than 250 km/h. All this sounds promising, but so far it is unlikely. 
Jetlev.
A fully working water-powered rocket pack prototype was completed in 2008. According to its creators, the first draft of the future device appeared eight years before. A promo demonstrating the capabilities of the Jetlev was posted on YouTube in 2009, at the same time the developer company announced the cost of the first mass version of the device - $139.5 thousand. $ 68.5 thousand. This became possible thanks to the emerging competition. 
In our list, this is the first aircraft that actually exists, works and has a certain popularity. It is “tied” to the water, but this does not detract from its merits: the maximum flight speed of the current model is 40 km / h, the height is about 40 meters. Given a sufficiently long river, a Jetlev pilot could cover almost 50 km (another question is whether there is a person who can withstand such a path).
The development does not claim to be a “serious” vehicle, but it will make you feel like James Bond, who has a new gadget from the research center of the British Secret Service. 
M400 Skycar.
One of the most controversial projects, which in the end may not be implemented. The designer Paul Moller has been creating a flying car for more than a decade. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for him to draw attention to his vehicles that never took off. For all the time, the inventor was not able to achieve significant and visible results, but at least since 1997 he has regularly attracted the attention of financial services and regulatory authorities. 
Initially, Moller was accused of issuing marketing materials in which he announced that his cars of the future would fill the airspace within a few years. Then doubts were raised by transactions with securities and a possible deception of investors, as a result of which there were fewer and fewer people willing to invest in a bottomless project. The Canadian made his last attempt at the end of 2013, but by January 2014 he had collected less than $30,000 out of the required $950,000. 
According to the designer, the M400X Skycar is currently under development. A car designed to carry one person (driver) is, on paper, capable of reaching speeds of up to 530 km/h and taking off to a height of 10,000 meters. In reality, the idea is likely to remain an idea, and Paul Moller's life's work, who turns 78 this year, will end in nothing. 
Flying motorcycle G2.
In the future, it will definitely fly - this is evidenced by the tests of the first model carried out in 2005-2006. In the meantime, the device, which managed to win the title of "the world's fastest flying motorcycle", will suit Mad Max, Batman or Agent 007. Thanks to the engine from the Suzuki GSX-R1000, the vehicle is capable of reaching speeds of more than 200 km / h, which has been proven during the races in the salt desert in the United States. The ability to conquer the sky, according to the developer, the flying motorcycle will receive in the coming months. 
It was not in vain that the inventor chose a bike as the basis for the aircraft: according to American law, it will be much easier to register and use it on the roads. 
Now Dejø Molnar is working on reducing the G2's weight and adapting the engine that powers the bike to work with the propeller. It was then that the engineer will publish a video demonstrating all the capabilities of the vehicle he is creating. 
