Sat, Nov 19, 2011
Human-Powered Helicopter Developed By University Of Maryland
Engineering Program
The Federation Aeronautique Internationale has certified that
the Clark School's Gamera human-powered helicopter team set world
records earlier this year for flight duration and flight duration
with a female pilot. The FAI certified the 4.2-second flight of May
12, 2011, and the 11.4-second flight of July 13, 2011, which
supersedes the first.
Gamera was designed and built by a team of some 50 students at
the Clark School, and piloted by biology student Judy Wexler. The
team is currently working on a new vehicle in pursuit of the
Sikorsky Prize. The new vehicle will be lighter and more efficient
than the original. The team hopes to have it completed this
spring.
For the May 12th flight, the 24-year-old Wexler pedaled
furiously, taking the craft 3-5 inches into the air for about 4
seconds, setting a world record for human-powered helicopter flight
with a female pilot. Between the flights in May flights and July
13th, the students enhanced Gamera's cockpit and transmission and
added LEDs to its landing gear that turn on when the vehicle is off
the ground. Judy Wexler, the biology student who piloted the
record-setting flight in May, was also the pilot for the second
flight.
"Our students demonstrate the combination of technical expertise
and determination to succeed that will bring continued
technological progress to our nation and our world," stated Clark
School Dean Darryll Pines following the July flight. "During these
flight tests they faced formidable obstacles when Gamera suffered
its first significant structural problems, but they worked through
the night to repair these and the next day achieved our best
flights. Their spirit fills me with pride."
Details of the records can be viewed on the FAI web site under
Experimental and New Technologies World Records/Manpowered
Rotorcraft (IDs 16230, 16232, 16273 and 16274).
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