Modern aircraft. The most unusual flying machines. Requirements for ultralight aircraft

Humans have been obsessed with the idea of \u200b\u200btaking off for centuries. In the myths of almost all peoples there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known aircraft were wings that mimicked birds. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar, falling off a cliff. And although such attempts ended, as a rule, tragically, people came up with more and more complex designs of aircraft. The iconic aircraft will be discussed in our today's review.

1. Bamboo helicopter

One of the world's oldest flying machines, the bamboo helicopter (also known as the bamboo dragonfly or the Chinese spinner) is a toy that flies upward when its main shaft is quickly rotated. Invented in China around 400 BC, the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.

2. Flying flashlight

A flying flashlight is a small balloon made of paper and a wooden frame with a hole in the bottom, under which a small fire is kindled. It is believed that the Chinese experimented with flying lanterns as early as the 3rd century BC, but traditionally, their invention is attributed to the sage and military leader Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).

3. Balloon

Balloon - first successful technology flight of a person on a supporting structure. The first manned flight was conducted by Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d "Arland" in 1783 in Paris in a hot air balloon (on a leash) created by the Montgolfier brothers. balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest hot air balloon flight is 7672 km from Japan to Northern Canada).

4. Solar balloon

Technically, this type of balloon flies by heating the air in it with solar radiation. Typically, these balloons are made of black or dark material. Although they are primarily used in the toy market, some solar balls are large enough to lift a person into the air.

5. Ornithopter

The ornithopter, which was inspired by the flight of birds, bats and insects, is an airplane that flaps its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but several manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such an aircraft was developed by Leonardo da Vinci back in the 15th century. In 1894, Otto Lilienthal, a German aviation pioneer, made the first manned flight in history on an ornithopter.

6. Parachute

Made of lightweight and durable fabric (like nylon), a parachute is a device used to slow an object through the atmosphere. A description of the oldest parachute was found in an anonymous Italian manuscript dating from 1470. In modern days, parachutes are used to launch a variety of cargo, including people, food, equipment, space capsules, and even bombs.

7. Kite

Originally built by stretching silk over a frame of split bamboo, the kite was invented in China in the 5th century BC. Over the course of a long time, many other cultures adopted this device, and some of them even continued to further refine this simple aircraft. For example, human-carrying kites are believed to have existed in ancient China and Japan.

8. Airship

The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. Initially, airships used hydrogen, but because of the high explosiveness of this gas, most airships built after the 1960s began to use helium. The airship can also be powered by engines, and the crew and / or payload in it are located in one or more "nacelles" suspended under a gas cylinder.

9. Glider

A glider is an aircraft heavier than air, which is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of air to its bearing surfaces, i.e. it is independent of the engine. Thus, most gliders do not have an engine, although some gliders can be equipped with one to extend the flight if necessary.

10. Biplane

A biplane is an airplane with two fixed wings that are located one above the other. Biplanes have a number of advantages over conventional wing designs (monoplanes): they allow for more wing area and lift with a smaller wing span. The Wright brothers' biplane in 1903 became the first aircraft to successfully take off.

11. Helicopter

A helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that can take off and land vertically, hover and fly in any direction. Over the past centuries, there have been many concepts similar to modern helicopters, but it was not until 1936 that the first operational Focke-Wulf Fw 61 helicopter was built.

12. Aerocycle

In the 1950s, Lackner Helicopters came up with an unusual flying machine. The HZ-1 Aerocycle was intended for use by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle in the US Army. While early testing indicated that the unit could provide ample mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations indicated that it was too difficult to control for untrained marines. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.

13. Kaitun

Kaitun is a hybrid of a kite and a balloon. Its main advantage is that the kaitun can remain in a fairly stable position over the anchor point of the cable, regardless of the strength of the wind, while conventional balloons and kites are less stable.

14. Hang glider

A hang glider is a non-motorized aircraft heavier than air and lacks a tail. Modern hang gliders are made of aluminum alloy or composite materials, and the wing is made of synthetic canvas. These vehicles have a high lift ratio, which allows pilots to fly for several hours at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level in warm air updrafts and perform aerobatics.

15. Hybrid airship

A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines lighter-than-air (ie, airship technology) with heavier-than-air (either fixed wing or rotor) aircraft technology. Such designs were never mass-produced, but several manned and unmanned prototypes were born, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.

16. Airliner

Also known as a jet airliner, a jet passenger aircraft is a type of aircraft designed to carry passengers and goods by air, powered by jet engines. These engines allow the aircraft to reach high speeds and generate enough thrust to move a heavy aircraft. The A380 Airbus is currently the world's largest jet passenger airliner with a seating capacity of 853 people.

17. Rocket plane

A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket engine. Rocket planes can reach much higher speeds than jet aircraft similar sizes. As a rule, their engine runs for no more than a few minutes, after which the plane plans. The rocket plane is suitable for flying at very high altitudes, and it is also capable of developing much more acceleration and a shorter take-off run.

18. Float seaplane

It is a type of fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. The floatation of the seaplane is provided by pontoons or floats, which are installed instead of the landing gear under the fuselage. Float-type seaplanes were widely used until World War II, but then they were supplanted by helicopters and aircraft used from aircraft carriers.

19. Flying boat

Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is an airplane with a fixed wing and a hull shaped so that it can land on water. It differs from a float seaplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Similar to floatplane seaplanes, they were subsequently abandoned after World War II.

Also known by other names (for example, cargo aircraft, cargo ship, transport aircraft, or cargo aircraft), a cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted to carry goods rather than passengers. At the moment, the An-225, built in 1988, is the largest and most cargo-carrying in the world.

21. Bomber

A bomber is a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes, or launching air-to-surface cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers primarily intended for long-range bombing missions - that is, for attacking strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, etc. Tactical bombers are aimed at countering enemy military activities and supporting offensive operations.

22. Spaceplane

A spaceplane is an aerospace vehicle that is used in the Earth's atmosphere. They can use both rockets and auxiliary conventional jet engines. Today, there are five such vehicles that have been successfully used: X-15, Space Shuttle, Buran, SpaceShipOne and Boeing X-37.

23. Spaceship

A spacecraft is a vehicle designed to fly in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and the transport of people and goods.

A space capsule is a special type of spacecraft that has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule should have everything needed for daily life, including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from cold and cosmic radiation.

25. Drone

Officially known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the drone is often used for missions that are too "dangerous" or simply impossible for humans. Initially they were used mainly for military purposes, but today they can be found literally everywhere.

The dream of human conquest of airspace is reflected in the legends and traditions of almost all peoples inhabiting the Earth. The first documentary evidence of human attempts to lift an aircraft into the air dates back to the first millennium BC. Thousands of years of attempts, work and reflection led to full-fledged aeronautics only at the end of the 18th century, or rather to its development. First came the hot air balloon, followed by the charlier. These are two types of aircraft lighter than air - a balloon, in further development balloon technology led to the creation - airships. And these aerial leviathans were replaced by vehicles heavier than air.

Around 400 BC. e. in China, kites began to be used en masse not only for entertainment, but also for purely military purposes, as a means of signaling. This device can already be described as a device heavier than air, having a rigid structure and using aerodynamic lift oncoming flow due to jet air currents.

Aircraft classification

An aircraft is any technical device, which is intended for flights in air or outer space. In the general classification, vehicles are lighter than air, heavier than air and spacecraft. Recently, the directions of designing related vehicles, especially the creation of a hybrid of an air-space vehicle, have been developing more and more widely.

Aircraft can be classified differently, for example, according to the following criteria:

by the principle of action (flight);
by the principle of management;
by purpose and scope;
by the type of engines installed on the aircraft;
by design featuresfuselage, wings, empennage and landing gear.

Briefly about aircraft.

1. aeronautical aircraft. Aircraft are considered lighter than air. The air envelope is filled with light gas. These include airships, balloons and hybrid aircraft. The entire design of this type of apparatus remains wholly heavier than air, but due to the difference in the densities of the gas masses in and outside the shell, a pressure difference is created and, as a result, a buoyant force, the so-called Archimedes force.

2. Aircraft using aerodynamic lifting strength. This type of apparatus is considered to be heavier than air. Their lifting force is already created due to geometric surfaces - wings. The wings begin to support the aircraft in the air only after air currents begin to form around their surfaces. Thus, the wings begin to work after the aircraft reaches a certain minimum "firing" speed of the wings. A lifting force begins to form on them. Therefore, for example, to get an airplane into the air or to descend from it to the ground, you need a mileage.

Gliders, airplanes, ground-effect aircraft and cruise missiles are vehicles in which the lift force is generated when flowing around a wing;
Helicopters and similar units, their lifting force is formed due to the flow around the rotor blades;
Aircraft with a load-bearing body, created according to the "flying wing" scheme;
Hybrid - these are vertical take-off and landing vehicles, both aircraft and rotorcraft, as well as devices that combine the qualities of aerodynamic and space aircraft;
Dynamic hovercraft, ekranoplan type;

3. tosmichesky aircraft.These devices are specially designed to operate in airless space with negligible gravity, as well as to overcome the gravitational force of celestial bodies, to enter outer space. These include satellites spaceships, orbital stations, rockets. Displacement and lift is generated by jet thrust, by throwing away part of the vehicle's mass. The working fluid is also formed due to the transformation of the internal mass of the vehicle, which, before the start of flight, still consists of an oxidizer and fuel.

The most common aircraft are airplanes. When classified, they are subdivided according to many criteria:

Helicopters are in second place in terms of prevalence. They are also classified according to various criteria, such as the number and location of rotors:

having single screw a scheme that assumes the presence of an additional tail rotor;
coaxial scheme - when two rotors are on the same axis above each other and rotate in different directions;
longitudinal - this is when the rotors are on the axis of movement one after another;
transverse - the propellers are located on the sides of the helicopter fuselage.

1.5 - transverse diagram, 2 - longitudinal diagram, 3 - single-screw diagram, 4 - coaxial diagram

In addition, helicopters can be classified by purpose:

for passenger transportation;
for combat use;
for use as vehicles for the transportation of goods for various purposes;
for various agricultural needs;
for the needs of medical support and search and rescue operations;
for use as air-crane devices.

A Brief History of Aviation and Aeronautics

People who are seriously involved in the history of the creation of aircraft determine that some device is an aircraft, first of all, based on the ability of such a unit to lift a person into the air.

The earliest known flight in history dates back to 559 AD. In one of the states on the territory of China, a person sentenced to death was assigned to kite and after launch it was able to fly over the city walls. This kite was most likely the first glider of the "wing-type" design.

At the end of the first millennium AD, on the territory of Muslim Spain, the Arab scientist Abbas ibn Farnas designed and built a wooden frame with wings, which had a semblance of flight controls. He was able to take off on this prototype hang-glider from the top of a small hill, hold out in the air for about ten minutes and return to the starting point.

1475 - the first scientifically serious drawings of aircraft and parachutes are those made by Leonardo da Vinci.

1783 - the first flight with people in the Montgolfier air balloon was made, in the same year a helium-filled balloon rises into the air and the first parachute jump is performed.

1852 - The first steam powered airship successfully flew back to the starting point.

1853 - a glider with a man on board took off.

1881 - 1885 - Professor Mozhaisky receives a patent, builds and tests an aircraft with steam engines.

1900 - the first rigid Zeppelin airship is built.

1903 - The Wright Brothers perform the first truly controlled flights in piston-powered aircraft.

1905 - The International Aeronautical Federation (FAI) was established.

1909 - the All-Russian Aero Club, created a year ago, joins the FAI.

1910 - the first seaplane rose from the water surface, in 1915 the Russian designer Grigorovich launched the M-5 flying boat.

1913 - the founder of bomber aviation "Ilya Muromets" was created in Russia.

December 1918 - organized by TsAGI, headed by Professor Zhukovsky. For many decades this institute will determine the directions of development of Russian and world aviation technology.

1921 - Russian civil aviation was born, carrying passengers on the Ilya Muromets aircraft.

1925 - ANT-4, a twin-engine all-metal bomber aircraft, is in flight.

1928 - the legendary U-2 trainer was adopted for serial production, on which more than one generation of outstanding Soviet pilots will be trained.

At the end of the twenties, the first Soviet gyroplane, a rotorcraft, was designed and successfully tested.

The thirties of the last century is a period of various world records set on aircraft of various types.

1946 - in civil aviation the first helicopters appear.

In 1948, the Soviet jet aircraft was born - the MiG-15 and Il-28 aircraft, in the same year the first turboprop aircraft appeared. A year later, the MiG-17 was launched into serial production.

Until the mid-forties of the XX century, the main building material for the aircraft there were wood and fabric. But already in the first years of the Second World War, wooden structures were replaced by all-metal structures made of duralumin.

Aircraft structure

All aircraft have similar structural elements. For aircrafts lighter than air - some, for vehicles heavier than air - others, for spacecraft - still others. The most developed and most numerous branch of aircraft are devices heavier than air for flying in the Earth's atmosphere. For all aircraft heavier than air, there are basic common features, since all aerodynamic aeronautics and further flights into space proceeded from the very first structural scheme - the airplane, aircraft in a different way.

The design of such an aircraft as an airplane, regardless of its type or purpose, has a number of common elements that are necessary for this device to fly. The classic scheme looks like this.

Airplane glider.

This term refers to a one-piece structure consisting of a fuselage, wings and tail assembly. In fact, these are separate elements with different functions.

and) Fuselage -it is the main power structure of the aircraft, to which the wings, empennage, engines and takeoff and landing devices are attached.

The fuselage body assembled according to the classical scheme consists of:
- the bow;
- central or bearing part;
- the tail section.

In the bow of this structure, as a rule, there is a radar and electronic aircraft equipment and a cockpit.

The central part carries the main power load, the wings of the aircraft are attached to it. In addition, it contains the main fuel tanks, laid central electrical, fuel, hydraulic and mechanical lines. Depending on the purpose of the aircraft, inside the central part of the fuselage, there may be a cabin for the carriage of passengers, a transport compartment for storing transported cargo, or a compartment for placing bombs and missiles. There are also options for tankers, reconnaissance aircraft or other special aircraft.

The tail section also has a powerful load-bearing structure, since it is designed to attach the tail unit to it. In some aircraft modifications, engines are located on it, and for bombers such as IL-28, TU-16 or TU-95, this part may have an air gunner's cabin with cannons.

In order to reduce the frictional resistance of the fuselage against the incoming air flow, the optimal shape of the fuselage with a pointed nose and tail is selected.

Taking into account the heavy loads on this part of the structure during flight, it is made of all-metal metal elements according to a rigid scheme. The main material in the manufacture of these elements is duralumin.

The main elements of the fuselage structure are:
- stringers - providing rigidity in the longitudinal relation;
- spars - ensuring the rigidity of the structure in the transverse relation;
- frames - metal elements of channel type, having the form of a closed frame of different sections, fastening stringers and ailerons in a given shape of the fuselage;
- outer skin - pre-prepared in the shape of the fuselage metal sheets of duralumin or composite materials, which are attached to stringers, spars or frames, depending on the aircraft design.

Depending on the shape set by the designers, the fuselage can create a lift from twenty to forty percent of the total lift of the aircraft.

The lift force, due to which an aircraft is heavier than air, is held in the atmosphere - this is a real physical force generated when flowing around an incoming air flow wing, fuselage and other aircraft structural elements.

The lift force is directly proportional to the density of the medium in which the air flow is formed, the square of the speed with which the aircraft moves and the angle of attack that the wing and other elements form with respect to the incoming flow. It is also proportional to the area of \u200b\u200bthe aircraft.

The simplest and most popular explanation for the occurrence of lift is the formation of a pressure difference in the lower and upper parts of the surface.

b) Airplane wing is a structure that has a bearing surface for generating a lifting force. Depending on the type of aircraft, the wing can be:
- direct;
- arrow-shaped;
- triangular;
- trapezoidal;
- with backward sweep;
- with variable sweep.

The wing has a center section, as well as left and right half-planes, they can also be called consoles. If the fuselage is made in the form of a load-bearing surface like that of an aircraft of the Su-27 type, then there are only left and right half-planes.

By the number of wings, there can be monoplanes (this is the main design of modern aircraft) and biplanes (An-2 can be an example) or triplanes.

By location relative to the fuselage, the wings are classified as low-lying, mid-lying, overhead, “parasol” (that is, the wing is located above the fuselage). The main structural elements of the wing structure are spars and ribs, as well as metal sheathing.

A mechanization is attached to the wing, which provides control of the aircraft - these are ailerons with trims, and also related to take-off and landing devices - these are flaps and slats. The flaps, after their release, increase the wing area, change its shape, increasing the possible angle of attack at low speed and provide an increase in lift in takeoff and landing modes. Slats are devices for leveling the air flow and preventing turbulence and jet stalling at high angles of attack and low speeds. In addition, aileron spoilers can be installed on the wing - to improve the controllability of the aircraft and spoiler spoilers - as additional mechanization that reduces lift and brakes the aircraft in flight.

Inside the wing, fuel tanks can be placed, for example, as in the MiG-25 aircraft. Signal lights are located at the wing tips.

in) The tail unit.

Two horizontal stabilizers are attached to the tail of the aircraft fuselage - this is the horizontal tail and the vertical keel is the vertical tail. These structural elements of the aircraft provide stabilization of the aircraft in flight. Structurally, they are made in the same way as the wings, only they have a much smaller size. Elevators are attached to the horizontal stabilizers, and the rudder is attached to the keel.

Takeoff and landing devices.

and) Chassis - main device related to this category .

The landing gear. Rear bogie

The landing gear of an aircraft is a special support designed for takeoff, landing, taxiing and aircraft parking.

Their design is quite simple and includes a rack with or without shock absorbers, a system of supports and levers that ensure a stable position of the rack in the extended position and its quick cleaning after takeoff. Wheels, floats or skis are also available depending on the type of aircraft and the landing surface.

Depending on the location on the glider, various schemes are possible:
- landing gear with a front strut (basic scheme for modern aircraft);
- a chassis with two main struts and a tail support (an example is the Li-2 and An-2, which are practically not used at present);
- bicycle chassis (such a chassis is installed on the Yak-28 aircraft);
- a chassis with a front strut and a rear bar with a wheel extending upon landing.

The most common design for modern aircraft is a front strut and two main landing gear. On very heavy machines, the main legs are multi-wheeled carts.

b) Brake system.Braking of the aircraft after landing is carried out using the brakes in the wheels, spoilers-spoilers, brake parachutes and engine reverse.

Propulsion power plants.

Aircraft engines can be located in the fuselage, suspended from the wings using pylons, or placed in the rear of the aircraft.

Design features of other aircraft

Helicopter.The ability to take off vertically and rotate around its axis, hover in place and fly sideways and backwards. All these are the characteristics of a helicopter and all this is ensured thanks to a movable plane that creates a lift - this is a propeller that has an aerodynamic plane. The propeller is constantly in motion, regardless of the speed and in which direction the helicopter is flying directly.
Rotary wing.The peculiarity of this aircraft is that the aircraft take off due to the main rotor, and the speed gain and horizontal flight due to the classically located propeller mounted on the theater, like an aircraft.
Tiltrotor.This aircraft model can be classified as vertical take-off and landing vehicles, which are provided with rotary TVD. They are fixed at the ends of the wings and, after take-off, rotate into an aircraft position, in which thrust is created for level flight. The lift is provided by the wings.
Autogyro. The peculiarity of this aircraft is that during the flight it relies on the air mass due to the freely rotating propeller in the autorotation mode. In this case, the propellers replace the static wing. But to maintain the flight, it is necessary to constantly rotate the propeller, and it rotates from the incoming air flow, therefore, the device, despite the propeller, needs a minimum speed for flight.
The aircraft is vertical takeoff and landing. Take off and land at zero horizontal speed using thrust jet engines, which is directed in the vertical direction. In world aviation practice, these are aircraft such as Harrier and Yak-38.
WIG craft. This aircraft is capable of traveling at high speed, while using the effect of an aerodynamic screen, which allows this aircraft to stay several meters above the surface. Moreover, the wing area of \u200b\u200bthis aircraft is less than that of a similar aircraft. An aircraft using this principle, but capable of rising to a height of several thousand meters, is called ekranolet.Its design features a wider fuselage and wing. Such a device has a large carrying capacity and a flight range of up to thousands of kilometers.
Glider, hang glider, paraglider.This aircraft is heavier than air, as a rule, non-motorized, which use lift for flight due to the air flow around the wing or the bearing surface.
Airship.This apparatus is lighter than air, using a propeller motor for controlled movement. It can be with soft, semi-rigid and hard shells. Currently used for military and special purposes. However, a number of advantages, such as low cost, high carrying capacity and a number of others, give rise to discussions on the return of this type of transport to the real sector of the economy.

Humanity has been striving upward for centuries and millennia, legends, myths, traditions and fairy tales have been formed about people's attempts to overcome gravity. The ancient gods could move in the air on their chariots, someone did not even need them. The most famous "heavenly pilots" include Icarus, as well as Santa Claus (aka Santa Claus).

More realistic examples for history are Leonardo da Vinci, the Montgolfier brothers and other engineers, as well as enthusiastic enthusiasts, such as, for example, the American Wright brothers. With the latter, the modern era of aircraft construction began, it was they who derived some of the fundamental foundations that are still used today.

As in the case of automobiles, the efficiency of aircraft grew over time, and designers were given more opportunities to create some new, often revolutionary, means of transportation through the air. With sufficient funding and support from those in power (more often the military), it was possible to implement the most unusual projects. Often these were devices that were not adapted to life, which could only fly on paper. Others still got off the ground, but their production turned out to be too expensive. There were also other restrictions, including technical ones.

We decided to list some of both forgotten and promising aircraft for personal use. These are not airplanes for transporting a large number of passengers or bulky goods, but individual means of transportation, attractive by their uniqueness and theoretically capable of simplifying 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 American military, who intended to provide their soldiers with a convenient means of transportation. "Aerocycle" was a platform, from below to which were attached two rotating in different directions of the propeller (the length of each blade is more than 4.5 meters). They were powered by a 43-horsepower 4-cylinder engine, the maximum speed of the unit was up to 110 km / h.

The YHO-2 was tested by a professional pilot, Selmer Sandby, who became a volunteer in this matter. Its longest flight lasted 43 minutes, others ended a few seconds after takeoff. Not without incidents: several times the blades of the 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 with seat belts. The engineers were never able to solve the problem with the screws, and as a result, the project was canceled. 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 trials.
Jetpack.

In the 1950s, another promising individual vehicle was being developed - a jetpack. This idea, which figured in science fiction as early as the 1920s, was later embodied in comics and films (for example, "The Rocketman" in 1991), but before that, engineers and designers spent a lot of energy on the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking a human rocket. Attempts have not stopped until now, but the level of technology development still does not allow to overcome some limitations. In particular, there is no talk of a long flight, handling also leaves much to be desired. There are also questions about the safety of the pilot.
The "pioneer" among the rocket packs was distinguished by an 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 that was where all the advantages of the device ended. To maintain a single knapsack, a whole brigade 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, an upgraded version of the device appeared - RB 2000 Rocket Belt. It was developed by three Americans: insurance salesman 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 the RB 2000 sample. Later, a trial followed, but Barker refused to pay $ 10 million. fleeing an insurance agent received a life sentence (it was reduced to eight years). After all these twists and turns, 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 vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. When you look at it, an analogy immediately comes to mind with flying saucers. At least three years and $ 10 million were spent on the pilot project. In total, two copies of the high-tech "donut" with a turbine in the middle were built.

It was assumed that Avrocar, using the Coanda effect (since 2012, it has been used in Formula 1), will be able to develop high speed. Being maneuverable and having a decent range, it will eventually turn into a "flying jeep". The diameter of the "saucer" with two cockpits for the pilots was 5.5 meters, the height was less than one meter, and the weight was 2.5 tons. The maximum flight speed of Avrocar, according to the design of the designers, was supposed to reach 480 km / h, the flight height - more than 3 thousand meters.

The second full-fledged prototype did not live up to 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 question of effective flight. The engineers also found out that it would not work to lift Avrocar into the air to any significant height, and the existing sample risked getting stuck in tall grass or small bushes.
AeroVelo Atlas Helicopter
Last year, two Canadian engineers received the Sikorsky Prize, established in 1980. Initially, its size was $ 10 thousand. In 2009, payments increased to $ 250 thousand. According to the rules of the competition, a muscular-thrust aircraft had to rise 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 set, presenting in their own way a futuristic vehicle worthy of conquering the skies of a planet with low gravity. Despite its huge dimensions (the width of the helicopter was 58 meters, and the weight was only 52 kg), the worthy successor of da Vinci's ideas took off and even surpassed the “competitor” Avrocar in a sense: its flight height was 3.3 meters, its duration was more than a minute.

At the peak moment, the Atlas pilot was able to create a thrust of 1.5 horsepower, which was required to reach a given height. At the end of the flight, the thrust was 0.8 horsepower - a trained athlete, a professional cyclist, pedaled.
The helicopter deserves attention as proof that, if you wish, you can bypass many obstacles and make to fly even something that does not inspire confidence even at rest. Hoverbike Chris Malloy.
Someone is inspired by UFO stories, and Chris Malloy is probably a fan " Star Wars". So far, unfortunately, this is only an idea, partially implemented: 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 brainchild.

The engineer believes that his aircraft is better than the existing helicopters (which he likens the hoverbike to). The unit does not require advanced knowledge in the field of piloting, since 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 for 30 liters of fuel (60 liters - with additional tanks), the consumption will be 30 liters per hour, or 0.5 liters per minute. The hoverbike is 1.3 meters wide, 3 meters long, net weight 105 kg, maximum take-off weight 270 kg. The unit will be able to take off to an altitude of almost 3 km, and its speed will be over 250 km / h. All this sounds promising, but so far it is hardly plausible.
Jetlev.
A fully working prototype of an analogue of the water-powered rocket pack was completed in 2008. According to its creators, the first draft of the future apparatus appeared eight years earlier. A promo demonstrating the capabilities of 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. Over time, the water-thrust satchel significantly decreased in price, which dropped for the R200x model to $ 68.5 thousand. This became possible due to the emerging competition.
This is the first aircraft on our list that actually exists, works and has a certain popularity. It is "tied" to 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. If there was a sufficiently long river, the Jetlev pilot could cover almost 50 km (another question is whether there is a person who can withstand such a route).
The development does not claim to be a "serious" means of transportation, but it will make you feel like James Bond, who had a new gadget at his disposal from the British Secret Service research center.
M400 Skycar.
One of the most controversial projects, which in the end may not be implemented. For decades, designer Paul Moller has been creating a flying car. IN last years it is increasingly difficult for him to draw attention to his vehicles that have not taken off. For all the time, the inventor has not been able to achieve significant and visible results, but since at least 1997 he has regularly attracted the attention of financial services and regulatory bodies.
Moller was initially accused of issuing marketing materials in which he announced that his cars of the future would fill the airspace within several years. Then doubts caused 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 thousand from the required $ 950 thousand.

According to the designer, the present time runs development of the M400X Skycar model. A car designed to carry one person (driver), on paper, is capable of speeds up to 530 km / h and take off to an altitude of 10 thousand meters. In reality, the idea is likely to remain an idea, and the life work of Paul Moller, 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 speeds of over 200 km / h, which has been proven during races over the salt desert in the USA. The ability to conquer the sky, according to the developer, will receive a flying motorcycle in the coming months.

It was not in vain that the inventor chose the bike as the basis for the aircraft: according to American law, it will be much easier to register and use it on the roads.
Dejø Molnar is now working to reduce the weight of the G2 and adapt the engine that powers the motorcycle to interact with the propeller. It is 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 flying machines is exactly what this aspiration and the scientific and technical vector of human development led to. Aircraft are a long branch of evolution and progress, from the first unsuccessful attempts to create a musculolet (like the one with which Icarus blundered) to modern Boeings, fighters, bombers, spacecraft - everything that allows us to move bypassing land and sea. Despite the seemingly unimaginably sophisticated technologies that underlie 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, the desire of man is the law, and it is safe to say that he exceeded the plan to repeat the feat of the birds of this world.

The Zeppelin, better known as the airship, is a controlled balloon propelled by a propulsion system that runs on lightweight hydrogen or helium. A surge in the operation of this vehicle came 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 a wealthy segment of the population. Almost 80 years after the last, huge flying giants can return to the sky and become part of our daily life. However, this time the airships will not be used to transport passengers, but as an environmentally friendly vehicle for delivering goods around the world.

(Total 30 photos + 10 videos)

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HZ-1 Aerocycle (YHO-2)

1. 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 American military, who intended to provide their soldiers with a convenient means of transportation. "Aerocycle" was a platform, from below to which were attached two rotating in different directions of the propeller (the length of each blade is more than 4.5 meters).

2. They were driven by a 43 horsepower 4-cylinder engine, the maximum speed of the unit was up to 110 km / h.

3. The YHO-2 was tested by a professional pilot, Selmer Sandby, who became a volunteer in this matter. Its longest flight lasted 43 minutes, others ended a few seconds after takeoff. Not without incidents: several times the blades of the two propellers touched, which led to their deformation, as well as loss of control over the apparatus.

4. Anyone was supposed to be able to fly the YHO-2 after 20 minutes of briefing, but Sandby doubted it. The danger was carried by huge blades that could frighten a person, even though the pilot's position was fixed with seat belts. The engineers were never able to solve the problem with the screws, and as a result, the project was canceled. 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 trials.

Jetpack

5. In the 1950s, another promising individual vehicle was being developed - a jetpack. This idea, which figured in science fiction as early as the 1920s, was later embodied in comics and films (for example, "The Rocketman" in 1991), but before that, engineers and designers spent a lot of energy on the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking a human rocket. Attempts continue to this day, but the level of technology development still does not allow to overcome some of the limitations. In particular, there is no talk of a long flight, handling also leaves much to be desired. There are also questions about the safety of the pilot

6. The "pioneer" among rocket packs was distinguished by an 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 that was where all the advantages of the apparatus ended. To maintain a single knapsack, a whole brigade 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 marines or flying special forces, were disappointed.

8. Subsequently, an upgraded version of the device appeared - RB 2000 Rocket Belt. It was developed by three Americans: insurance salesman 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 the RB 2000 sample. A trial followed later, 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 fleeing an insurance agent, he received a life sentence (it was reduced to eight years). After all these twists and turns, the RB 2000 was never found.

Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar

9. In the late 1940s, there was the so-called Roswell incident, which probably influenced the minds of Canadian engineers. They took part in the development of the Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. When you look at it, an analogy immediately comes to mind with flying saucers. At least three years and $ 10 million were spent on the pilot project. A total of two copies of the high-tech "donut" with a turbine in the middle were built.

10. It was assumed that Avrocar, using the Coanda effect (since 2012, it has been used in Formula 1), will be able to develop high speed. Being maneuverable and having a decent range, it will eventually turn into a "flying jeep". The diameter of the "saucer" with two cockpits for the pilots was 5.5 meters, the height was less than one meter, and the weight was 2.5 tons. The maximum flight speed of Avrocar, according to the design of the designers, was supposed to reach 480 km / h, the flight height - more than 3 thousand meters.

11. The second full-fledged prototype did not meet the expectations of its creators: it was only able to accelerate to an unimpressive 56 km / h. In addition, the device behaved unpredictably in the air, and there was no question of effective flight. The engineers also found out that it would not work to lift Avrocar into the air to any significant height, and the existing sample risked getting stuck in tall grass or small bushes.

AeroVelo Atlas 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. According to the rules of the competition, a muscular-powered aircraft had to rise 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 fulfill all the tasks, presenting in their own way a futuristic vehicle worthy of conquering the skies of a planet with low gravity. Despite its huge dimensions (the width of the helicopter was 58 meters, and the weight was only 52 kg), the worthy successor of da Vinci's ideas took off and even surpassed the “competitor” Avrocar in a sense: its flight height was 3.3 meters, its duration was more than a minute.

15. At the peak moment, the Atlas pilot was able to create a thrust of 1.5 horsepower, which was required to reach the target height. At the end of the flight, the thrust was 0.8 horsepower - a trained athlete, a professional cyclist, pedaled.

The helicopter deserves attention as proof that, if you wish, you can bypass many obstacles and make to fly even something that does not inspire confidence even at rest.

Chris Malloy Hoverbike

16. Someone is inspired by UFO stories, and Chris Malloy is probably a Star Wars fan. So far, unfortunately, this is only an idea, partially implemented: the Australian continues to raise funds for the production of a fully working prototype of the aircraft.

17. For this he will need 1.1 million dollars, 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 brainchild.

18. The engineer believes that his aircraft is better than the existing helicopters (which he compares the hoverbike to). The unit does not require advanced knowledge in the field of piloting, since 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 for 30 liters of fuel (60 liters - with additional containers), the consumption will be 30 liters per hour, or 0.5 liters per minute. The hoverbike is 1.3 meters wide, 3 meters long, net weight 105 kg, maximum take-off weight 270 kg.

20. The unit will be able to take off to an altitude of almost 3 km, and its speed will be over 250 km / h. All this sounds promising, but so far it is hardly plausible.

21. A fully working prototype of the analogue of the water-powered rocket pack was completed in 2008. According to its creators, the first draft of the future apparatus appeared eight years earlier. A promo demonstrating the capabilities of Jetlev was posted on YouTube in 2009, at the same time the developer announced the cost of the first mass version of the device - 139.5 thousand dollars. Over time, the water-powered satchel has noticeably decreased in price, which dropped for the R200x model to 68.5 thousand dollars. This became possible thanks to the emerging competition.

22. This is the first aircraft on our list that actually exists, works and has a certain popularity. It is "tied" to 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. If there was a sufficiently long river, the Jetlev pilot could cover almost 50 km (another question is whether there is a person who can withstand such a route).

23. The development does not claim to be a "serious" means of transportation, but it will make you feel like James Bond, who had a new gadget at his disposal from the British Secret Service research center.

M400 Skycar

24. One of the most controversial projects that in the end may not be implemented. For decades, designer Paul Moller has been creating a flying car. 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 since at least 1997 he has regularly attracted the attention of financial services and regulatory bodies.

25. Moller was initially accused of issuing marketing materials in which he announced that his cars of the future would fill the airspace within several years. Then there were doubts about securities transactions and possible deception of investors, as a result of which those who wanted to invest in a bottomless project became less and less. The Canadian made his last attempt at the end of 2013, but by January 2014 he had collected less than $ 30 thousand out of the required $ 950 thousand.

26. According to the designer, the M400X Skycar is currently under development. A car designed to carry one person (driver), on paper, is capable of speeds up to 530 km / h and take off to an altitude of 10 thousand meters. In reality, the idea is likely to remain an idea, and the life work of Paul Moller, 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 Agent 007.

28. Thanks to the engine from Suzuki GSX-R1000, the vehicle is capable of speeds over 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, will receive a flying motorcycle in the coming months.

29. It was not in vain that the inventor chose the bike as the basis for the aircraft: according to American law, it will be much easier to register and use on the roads.

30. Dejø Molnar is currently working to reduce the weight of the G2 and to adapt the motor that powers the motorcycle to interact with the propeller. It is then that the engineer will publish a video demonstrating all the capabilities of the vehicle he is creating.