University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies = Achievement Unlocked

Like to travel around the world? Ever wondered what its like to fly like a bird? Ever wanted to travel around the world AS A BIRD? my answer = all of the above. I was going through Gizmodo and found this.  Todd Reichert and a team of students have finally made a man made bird. No, not like a plane, I mean, yes like a plane but with wings that actually FLAP. It's called the Snowbird ornithopter and here is the clip of it in flight. None before have succeeded in making an ornithopter fly but Todd and the team from University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies has done it.


HPO Flight from U of T Engineering on Vimeo.

they have more videos of the Snowbird in their Vimeo channel which can be found here.

The ornithopter is powered by man power ALONE. Reichert had to work out and train just to be able to fly it for the short duration it was in the air. Sadly it is reported that Reichert said that this will probably never be flown again. :( I was hoping this was the future too.

full article over at the Vancouver Sun.