# Flying Machine Help **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 13, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976 "2003-03-13T00:21:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jeff2003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jeff2003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeff2003)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/1 "2003-03-13T00:21:07Z")
I was thinking about entering this event in Chicago where you build a flying machine and attempt to fly it off a 30ft ramp into the wild blue yonder (or straight into the water). If anyone in here has any suggestions that would be great. There are a few rules: 1-Human powered 2-wingspan less than 30’ 3-less than 450 lbs. If anyone else would like to get a team together and submit a plan there are some prizes, and the submission deadline is May 27, the event will be held on August 9 at Monroe Harbor near Chicago’s Grant Park. Check the web site to download an application. The event will be free to attend. [http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com/photos/photo4.jpg](http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com/photos/photo4.jpg) Click here to find out about applying: [http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com/registration.php](http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com/registration.php) Click here to view the video footage: [http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com/action.php](http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com/action.php) ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/2 "2003-03-13T00:27:04Z")
A good start for you would be the [Daedalus Website](http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/Daedalus/). Daedalus was along the same lines of what you seem to propose. And IANA Aeronautical Engineer, but you will need the longest, most slender wings you can design (think U-2, here). More lift, low speeds. I’ll see if I can’t dig up a few links from my alma mater about projects like these. . . Tripler Embry Riddle ‘99, Bs E.E., PhD. in Beer-Drinkin’. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/3 "2003-03-13T00:37:35Z")
I once built a bicycle-powered helicopter. It didn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![jeff2003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jeff2003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeff2003)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/4 "2003-03-13T00:52:08Z")
The Daedalus Light Eagle project looks like what I had in mind, the only thing is the wingspan looks longer than the 30’ I am restricted to. I couldnt find any specs to find out for sure though, I will have to go back and look a bit closer later. Thanks tripler ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/5 "2003-03-13T01:10:16Z")
[Ultralight aircraft:](http://www.ultralightnews.com/) may be a little too heavy for what you are trying to do, but you should be able to incorporate some ideas. [Another NASA site](http://www.nasg.com/hpa/hpa-e.html) on human powered aircraft. And a [third site](http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/flight/design.shtml) which may aid you in your quest. Hey man, Google’s full of these things. Just do a search or two. And no problem. Good luck and let us know how you do. Tripler That means pictures. We want pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/6 "2003-03-13T01:11:36Z")
Oh, and a quick question: Does that 450 lb. rule apply to just your _airplane_ or the _airplane and pilot_? Tripler A keen engineering mind notes these things. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/7 "2003-03-13T01:14:03Z")
Final comment, then I’ll shut up: Rules is rules: 30 foot wingspan. You know what this means? _MULTIPLE WINGS_! Think biplanes and triplanes here. Tripler I want a 5% consulting fee from any prizes you win. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jeff2003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jeff2003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeff2003)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/8 "2003-03-13T16:07:32Z")
the 450lbs includes the pilot as well, so really it can only be 270lbs with my 180 lbs, unless I can find a out of work jockey to pilot this thing. If I win I will let you know, need to submit a plan by May 27. You know they are having one of these events in Texas soon and the Flugtag Texas site has already approved teams to compete and will post their blueprints on the site soon. So I was going to check out other peoples plans and see what I will be up against. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/9 "2003-03-13T16:46:21Z")
Another UK import - check out the [Bognor Birdman](http://www.birdman.org.uk/main.html) competition for comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/10 "2003-03-13T17:23:18Z")
I’d be glad to let you use some of my dsesigns for a a share of the cedit. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/11 "2003-03-13T17:37:00Z")
With Flugtag, it’s not necessarily how far you fly, but how much style you have as you plummet into the water. (The Creativity and Showmanship categories.) Swiped from [http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com](http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com): > [@](#): > > JUDGING CRITERIA > > 1. Distance - Obviously, the farther the better. But a word to the wise, if you fly too far away, the judges won’t be able to see you to judge the other two criteria. It’s a combined score that wins. So plan on getting wet in front of everybody. Don’t worry. We’ll be laughing with you. Not at you. > > 2. Creativity - It’s not enough that it flies. Actually it’s not even required that you fly at all. A dramatic stone-like path into the water can lead you to victory if your craft is outrageous enough. Bells, whistles and the audacity of building something that both physics and common sense tells you can’t fly, that is what we’re looking for. > > 3. Showmanship - Think James Brown with a cape draped over him being helped off the stage, yet turning back for more. Think Kiss Rocks Detroit in ’77. And whatever you think of, make sure we can’t forget your launch routine. As a wise man once said, “It’s not whether they love you or hate you, it’s whether they remember your name.” Me again… In other words, if you manage to fly off the ramp and land uneventfully at Meigs Field, you may score high on distance, but zilch on showmanship and creativity. You may also score a lot of unwanted attention from the FAA. 😃 So have fun with it and don’t sweat the aerodynamics. ---
**Author:** ![jeff2003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jeff2003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeff2003)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/12 "2003-03-13T19:08:05Z")
cool, thanks for the info gotpasswords, hey did you go to the Flugtag event in S.F? Do you know who won, what kind of contraption they used? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/13 "2003-03-13T19:33:37Z")
A “flying machine” made out of folded notebook paper is human powered, flies and if they want showmanship you could do a half gainer with a triple twist after you launch the thing. ---
**Author:** ![jeff2003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jeff2003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeff2003)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/14 "2003-03-13T22:14:18Z")
I was thinking about using a bungee cord to get that carrier launch effect, but not sure if that would be allowed since it says “human powered”. Or does a bungee just hold power? I guess as long as a human pulls the bugee back that would be OK. ---
**Author:** ![jeff2003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jeff2003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeff2003)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-machine-help/160976/15 "2003-03-14T00:16:03Z")
Just checked the site, they have competitiors blue prints posted for an event in Texas. Is this what I am up against… [http://www.redbullflugtagaustin.com/team-bio.php?pilot\_id=56](http://www.redbullflugtagaustin.com/team-bio.php?pilot_id=56) Ive got to be able to do better than this!