UTIAS Snowbird
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2022}}
{{Short description|Canadian human-powered ornithopter}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
|name= Snowbird |image=File:UTIAS Snowbird ornithopter 1198.JPG |caption=The UTIAS Snowbird human-powered ornithopter on display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. }}{{Infobox aircraft type |type= Human-powered Ornithopter |national origin= Canada |manufacturer= UTIAS Human-Powered Ornithopter Project |designer= |first flight=31 July 2010 |introduced= |retired=2 August 2010 |status=retired |primary user= HPO Project |number built= 1 |developed from= |variants with their own articles= }} |
The Snowbird is a human-powered ornithopter that was built as a project of the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS). Snowbird was the first human-powered ornithopter to fly straight and level.{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/841925-snowbird-the-first-man-powered-plane-with-flapping-wings|title=Snowbird: The first man-powered plane with flapping wings|author=Hayden Smith|work=Metro}}{{cite web|url=http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-09/video-canadian-student-flies-bird-first-time-using-record-setting-ornithopter|title=Video: Canadian Student Becomes First Human to Fly Under Own Power, By Flapping Wings|work=Popular Science|date=23 September 2010 }}
Design and development
=Background=
There have been several attempts throughout history of humans attempting to fly like a bird, under their own power. Leonardo da Vinci is frequently credited with creating the first design for a human-powered ornithopter in 1485. Since that time, many people have tried to make human-powered flight like a bird happen.
In 1991, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) awarded a “Diplôme d’Honneur” for the first remotely operated engine-powered ornithopter, which was developed by Professor James DeLaurier and UTIAS.{{cite web|url=http://hpo.ornithopter.net/?q=content/a-brief-history-human-powered-aviation-and-ornithopters|title=A Brief History of Human Powered Aviation and Ornithopters|author=Graffetto Technologies|work=ornithopter.net}}
In 2006, the UTIAS Ornithopter No.1 flew. It required the assistance of a jet engine to take off, and its flapping wings were driven by an 18 kW (24 HP) gasoline engine.{{cite web|last=Hein|first=Treena|title=The world's first flying ornithopter|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/science/ornithopter.html|publisher=CBC News|access-date=23 March 2012}}
=Ornithopter Project=
The Human-Powered Ornithopter Project (HPO) started in the summer of 2006, as a spin-off of the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) flapping-wing research program.{{cite web|url=http://hpo.ornithopter.net/?q=content/the-project|title=The Project|author=Graffetto Technologies|work=ornithopter.net}} The design was run in simulations to check feasibility before committing to construction.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/|title=thestar.com - The Star - Canada's largest daily|website=thestar.com|access-date=25 April 2018}}
The aircraft has a wingspan of {{convert|32|m|ft}}{{cite web|url= https://ottawacitizen.com/dreams+flies/3581043/story.html|title= He dreams, he flies!|access-date= 15 February 2022|last= Green|first= Jennifer|work= Ottawa Citizen|date= 26 September 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100929203945/https://ottawacitizen.com/dreams+flies/3581043/story.html|archive-date= 29 September 2010|url-status= dead}} (comparable to a Boeing 737), and weighs {{convert|43|kg|lb}}. It cost $200,000 CDN (approx. US$200,000), not including donated material and time. It was built primarily with carbon fibre, balsa wood, basswood and foam.{{cite web|url= http://seerpress.com/ornithopter-%E2%80%93-da-vinci-conceived-canadian-student-realizes-the-engineless-flying-machine/8043/|title= Ornithopter – Da Vinci conceived, Canadian student realizes the engineless flying machine|access-date= 15 February 2022|last= Kar|first= Naveen|work= seerpress.com|date= 27 September 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120313000701/http://seerpress.com/ornithopter-%E2%80%93-da-vinci-conceived-canadian-student-realizes-the-engineless-flying-machine/8043/|archive-date= 13 March 2012|url-status= dead}} The pedals are connected to the wings through a system of pumps and pulleys.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} Snowbird does not have launch runup equipment, because of the need to limit weight, and requires a tow-assist at launch.{{cite web |url=http://www.allvoices.com/s/event-6828614/aHR0cDovL256LnJkLnlhaG9vLmNvbS9uZXdzL3Jzcy90ZWNobm9sb2d5LypodHRwOi8vbnoubmV3cy55YWhvby5jb20vYS8tL3RlY2hub2xvZ3kvODAwNTg1Mi9jYW5hZGlhbi1vcm5pdGhvcHRlci1hY2hpZXZlcy1kYS12aW5jaXMtZHJlYW0v |title=Allvoices.com - External Link |website=www.allvoices.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313122810/http://www.allvoices.com/s/event-6828614/aHR0cDovL256LnJkLnlhaG9vLmNvbS9uZXdzL3Jzcy90ZWNobm9sb2d5LypodHRwOi8vbnoubmV3cy55YWhvby5jb20vYS8tL3RlY2hub2xvZ3kvODAwNTg1Mi9jYW5hZGlhbi1vcm5pdGhvcHRlci1hY2hpZXZlcy1kYS12aW5jaXMtZHJlYW0v |archive-date=2012-03-13}} The downward flap required {{convert|700|lbf|N}}. It was built under the supervision of professor James DeLaurier, a NASA alumnus. The craft was built under the University of Toronto's Human Powered Ornithopter Project. The name came about when, during testing on a snowy field, the cockpit became filled with snow.{{cite journal|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0927/Plane-that-flies-by-flapping-its-wings-makes-historic-first-flight|title=Plane that flies by flapping its wings makes historic first flight|author=The Christian Science Monitor|journal=The Christian Science Monitor|date=27 September 2010 }}
The team expects that revised iterations of the aircraft with greater performance will be made.
Flight test history
=Record run=
For its official aviation-first flight, it was piloted by Todd Reichert, a 28-year-old PhD graduate student of the University of Toronto's Institute for Aerospace Studies.{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/studentnews/09/27/transcript.tue/|title=CNN Student News Transcript: September 28, 2010|work=cnn.com}} The record flight was observed by a certified official from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), and GPS data detailing the altitude and length of flight were given to the organization for certification. Snowbird flew for 19.3 seconds in a straight-and-level powered flight run under human power alone. It averaged {{convert|25.6|km/h|mph}},[https://web.archive.org/web/20101003090055/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS161728911820100928 Reuters] over a length of {{convert|145|m|ft}}. Take-off was assisted with a tow from a car to get the aircraft up to speed, before flapping for lift-off. A total of 16 flaps were used on the run to maintain height. At the start of the flight, data indicates that the Snowbird was able to gain height, while maintaining speed, indicating that there was more power than necessary to maintain straight-and-level flight.{{cite web|url= http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9c&plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9c&plckPostId=Blog:a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9cPost:a2ef8e7d-8aec-40aa-bdd1-fc57be8e693f&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest|title= Snowbird Flies on Flapping Wings - and Human Power|access-date= 17 February 2022|last= Warwick|first= Graham|work= Aviation Week|date= 23 September 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121007125733/http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9c&plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9c&plckPostId=Blog:a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9cPost:a2ef8e7d-8aec-40aa-bdd1-fc57be8e693f&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest|archive-date= 7 October 2012|url-status= dead}} The run occurred at the Great Lakes Gliding Club, in Tottenham, Ontario,{{cite web |url=http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global |title=The Witness |access-date=2014-06-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026115000/http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global%5B_id%5D=88529 |archive-date=2014-10-26 }}[_id]=48001 on 2 August 2010, at around 6:45 am. Reichert estimates that each stroke needed {{convert|600|-|700|W|bhp}}, with {{convert|700|-|800|lbf|N}} on each stroke. Analysis of the flight afterward indicated that 15-20 power strokes is the limit of endurance for the pilot. The validity of the record claim has been disputed due to prior claims and, apparent in Reichert's flight data, a downward trend in total energy and airspeed during the 19.3 second interval claimed as a sustained flight.Chronister, Nathan. "Human-Powered Ornithopter Flight". Flapping Wings. Fall 2010.
=Fate=
On the last flight of 2 August 2010, a main drive line failed. Fatigue wear was noted on many components. With training of the pilot, with the intent of peaking for the record attempt, it was decided to end flights for the season.{{cite web|url=http://hpo.ornithopter.net/?q=content/successful-flight-snowbird|title=Successful Flight of the Snowbird!!!!|author=Graffetto Technologies|work=ornithopter.net}}
The team hopes to have an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. The aircraft currently resides in the Main Hangar of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, in Ottawa.{{Cite web |last=University of Toronto |first=Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) |title=Ornithopter |url=http://collection.ingeniumcanada.org/en/item/2012.0089.001/ |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation}}
Specifications
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See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://hpo.ornithopter.net Official site]
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Category:Human-powered aircraft