Da Vinci’s glider

HISTORY

How Leonardo da Vinci tried to fl y Discover the secrets behind the legendary inventor’s incredible fl ying machine Da Vinci’s other fl ying machines

Few individuals truly fi t the muchoverused sobriquet of ‘man ahead of his time’, but Leonardo da Vinci is one of the select band who undoubtedly fi ts into this category. His mind seemed to be of another time entirely, devising all sorts of inventions that would either pre-empt or form the basis for modern-day equivalents. The item that perhaps best of all encapsulates his capacity to work beyond the constraints of his time, however, is his visionary ornithopter fl ying machine.

Having spent much time watching and studying the fl ight of birds, he observed the different ways they fl apped their wings while taking off and in mid-fl ight, and sought to

mimic them in the construction of his ornithopter. Sharing similarities with the paragliders of today, it required a solo pilot to manually operate a system of pullies, levers and pedals with his hands and feet in order to simulate fl ight. A hand crank increased the production of energy and the wings were designed to fl ap – much like those of a bird. However, while it looked impressive on the page, da Vinci’s ornithopter was never physically realised in his day. While it may well have worked while in fl ight, the task of actually taking off proved to be an insurmountable obstacle, as there wasn’t a known way of producing enough power to actually get it off the ground. Da Vinci’s ornithopter

The bits and pieces that formed the basis of his revolutionary fl ying machine Wing frames

The basis for the wings was essentially made from wooden poles. Da Vinci didn’t limit his pursuit of fl ight to just his ornithopter. Predating its invention by over 400 years, one of his designs reveals something akin to a modern-day helicopter. Also known as an aerial screw, its blades revolved like a corkscrew, compressing air in order to gain fl ight – a principle shared by its eventual successors. Although the theory was sound, modern-day scientists believe that it would have been too heavy to achieve fl ight, and as such remained strictly in the drawing book.

He is also credited with devising early designs for what would become what we know as the parachute. Despite its triangular shape and wooden frame causing many to doubt its effectiveness, it a prototype based on the same design was constructed and tested in 2000 – where it was proven to work perfectly.

Pointed wings

The pointed edges of the wings are a further indication of the inspiration Da Vinci took from birds.

Headpiece

By moving his head, the pilot would have been able to steer the vehicle.

Rope

The rope attached to the pulley provided a means for the pilot to control the machine.

Flap valves

These would allow air to fl ow through the wing surface while the wing was moving upward.

Levers

From his position, the pilot would have operated the wings by pushing and pulling a number of levers.

Wings

Fabric would have covered the wings in order to provide a wider lifting surface.

Hand crank

This allowed the pilot to increase the output of energy from the fl ying machine.

Pilot

The pilot would have been forced to lie still where he was positioned.

Landing gear

Intended to be retractable, this would enable the pilot to land safely.