Mini aircraft for humans. Mini and micro unmanned aerial vehicles

Over the past hundred years, mankind has come up with a lot of the most diverse aircraft. We saw airplanes and helicopters, aircraft with both propeller and jet propulsion, capable of taking off from land and sea, taking off and landing with a takeoff run and vertically. We saw aircraft of various shapes - without a fuselage, without a tail and wings, with variable geometry, in the form of a disk, cylinder or cone. We saw unusual hybrids - flying cars and motorcycles, flying boats and even submarines, flying packs and a hybrid of an airplane with a spaceship. Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to give an overview of all unusual aircraft, so we will try to tell you about the most unusual and truly unique ones.

Aircraft on solar panels

Can an airplane fly without fuel and almost indefinitely? Maybe and modern technologies allow you to build such aircraft.

The photo shows the aircraft "Solar Impulse" ("Solar Impulse"), built in 2014 in Switzerland. To lighten the weight, the aircraft is made of composite materials, while its mass is 2300 kg with a wingspan of 72 meters. The aircraft is equipped with solar panels located on the wings and powerful batteries that can store energy during the day and maintain flight at night. In 2015-2016, the aircraft made a round-the-world flight, while the flight on the longest section from Japan to the Hawaiian Islands took more than four days.

The Solar Impulse is a manned aircraft, so it still can't fly for very long. Unmanned aircraft of a similar design do not have such restrictions. Back in 2010, the Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aircraft was able to stay in the air for 2 weeks, flying at an altitude of more than 20 kilometers. This success led to the development of even more ambitious projects in different countries, including in Russia. Such aircraft, potentially able to spend months and even years in the air, will be able to perform many of the tasks currently assigned to satellites - to observe the weather, conduct research, provide communications and wireless internet in remote areas.

Tests Russian drone solar-powered "Owl"

muscleflies

Since ancient times, man has thought about flying like birds. There were myths in which people, attaching their wings, rose into the air. True, in practice, all such attempts ended unsuccessfully or simply tragically. But even after a person mastered flying with the help of aircraft with powerful engines, people continued to wonder - but still, can a person fly only with the help of his muscle strength, using aircraft without engines? There were doubts about this, because the largest flying birds have a weight of only 15-20 kg.

But enthusiasts took up the solution of this problem and still achieved success. Using the most lightweight materials, it was possible to create a muscle car weighing only 30 kg. For the first time, a sufficiently long successful flight on such an aircraft in 1979 was made by cyclist Brian Allen, flying across the English Channel on it. He covered a distance of 35 km in 2 hours and 49 minutes.

Flight across the English Channel

In 1988, enthusiasts decided to go even further and reproduce in reality the ancient Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus. According to the myth, the talented inventor Daedalus escaped from Crete, from the evil ruler Minos, making wings for himself and flying through the air from the island to Greece. A muscle car was built at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Greek cyclist, Greek cycling champion Kanellos Kanellopoulos flew. Despite the doubts of skeptics, the flight was successful, Canellos covered 116 km in less than 4 hours, reaching a speed of about 30 km / h. True, during the landing approach, a gust of wind broke the wing and the muscle plane fell into the water near the shore. This flight is still a record.

Musculolet "Dedalus"

Video - the flight of "Dedalus":

Steam powered aircraft

And here is another example showing that if many people fail after many attempts, this does not mean that it is impossible. The industry began to use the steam engine as early as the 18th century, and at the same time the first attempts were made to adapt it for vehicles. Appeared, and at the beginning of the 19th century - steam locomotives. From the very beginning of the 19th century, attempts were made in different countries to build an aircraft with a steam engine. But nothing worked, the steam planes barely left the ground and fell, flying no more than fifty meters.

The first airplane that could actually fly was built by the Wright brothers using a lightweight internal combustion engine that ran on kerosene. After that, there was a belief that it was impossible to build a steam-powered aircraft at all, because it was too heavy. Indeed, in addition to the engine itself, a boiler, a furnace, fuel supplies, and also water were needed.

But in 1933, the Bessler brothers from the United States disproved this belief by building a steam-powered aircraft that flew quite successfully.

Airspeed 2000 - steam powered aircraft

Moreover, this aircraft even had certain advantages over conventional ones, for example, engine power did not decrease with altitude, the aircraft was more reliable and easy to maintain, the engine was very quiet. But the lower efficiency and flight range led to the fact that the steam aircraft remained built in a single copy.

Video - Besslerov steam plane:

Hybrid aircraft, helicopter and airship

Airlander 10 is a unique aircraft built in 2012 in the UK, which combines the features of three main types at once aircraft- aircraft, helicopter and airship.

The huge hybrid airship has a length of 92 m (the largest aircraft in the world) and a payload of 10 tons. The body filled with helium creates lift and saves fuel to keep the device in the air. 4 engines allow speeds up to 150 km/h. And in the air, this aircraft can be up to three weeks continuously.

Video - Airlander 10:

Ornithopters

Balloons, planes, helicopters, rockets - almost all man-made aircraft have no analogues in nature. All flying living beings, from insects to birds to bats, fly because they flap their wings. It is not surprising that people, if only out of interest, began to try to reproduce the principle of flight, which dominates in nature. Aircrafts of this type began to be called flywheels or ornithopters.

Oddly enough, creating ornithopters turned out to be much more difficult than airplanes and helicopters. To date, all ornithopters are unmanned and have a relatively small size.

Here is a video of some ornithopters.

Bird-like ornithopters:

Heavy ornithopter weighing about 30 kg, created by Russian inventors:

People have been obsessed with the idea of ​​taking to the air for centuries. In the myths of almost all peoples there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known flying machines were bird-like wings. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar by falling off a cliff. And although such attempts ended, as a rule, tragically, people came up with more and more complex aircraft designs. 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 pinwheel) is a toy that flies up when its main shaft is quickly spun. Invented in China around 400 B.C., the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.

2. Flying flashlight

A flying lantern 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 commander Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).

3. Balloon

The hot air balloon is the first successful technology of human flight on a supporting structure. The first manned flight was carried out by Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d "Arlande in 1783 in Paris in a balloon (on a leash) created by the Montgolfier brothers. Modern Balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest 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. As a rule, such balloons are made of black or dark material. Although they are mainly used in the toy market, some solar balls 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 aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but a few manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such a flying machine 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 an ornithopter.

6. Parachute

Made from lightweight and durable fabric A (nylon-like) parachute is a device that is used to slow an object's movement through the atmosphere. A description of the oldest parachute was found in an anonymous Italian manuscript dating back to 1470. IN modern days parachutes are used to lower various cargoes, including people, food, equipment, space capsules, and even bombs.

7. Kite

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

8. Airship

The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. In the beginning airships used hydrogen, but due to the high explosiveness of this gas, most airships built after the 1960s began to use helium. The airship may also be powered and the crew and/or payload located in one or more "nacelles" suspended below the gas cylinder.

9. Glider

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

10 Biplane

Biplane - an aircraft with two fixed wings, which 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 wingspan. 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. There have been many concepts similar to today's helicopters over the past centuries, but it wasn't 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 to be operated by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle in the US Army. Although early testing indicated that the vehicle could provide sufficient mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations indicated that it was too difficult for untrained infantrymen to control it. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.

13. Kaitun

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

14. Hang glider

A hang glider is a non-motorized, heavier-than-air aircraft that lacks a tail. Modern hang gliders are made from 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 the rising currents of warm air and perform aerobatics.

15. Hybrid airship

A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines the characteristics of a lighter-than-air vehicle (i.e. airship technology) with a heavier-than-air vehicle technology (either a fixed wing or a rotary propeller). On mass production no such designs were delivered, but several manned and unmanned prototypes were produced, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.

16. Airliner

Also known as a jet airliner, a jet airliner is a type of aircraft designed to carry passengers and cargo through the air that is propelled by jet engines. These engines enable the aircraft to achieve high speeds and generate enough thrust to propel large aircraft. Currently, the Airbus A380 is the world's largest jet airliner with a capacity of up to 853 people.

17. Rocket plane

A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses 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 glides. The rocket plane is suitable for flying at very high altitudes, and it is also capable of developing much higher acceleration and has a shorter takeoff run.

18. Float plane

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

19. Flying boat

Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is a fixed-wing aircraft with a hull shaped to allow it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Like floatplanes, they subsequently fell into disuse after World War II.

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

21. Bomber

Bomber - a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes or launching air-to-ground cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers primarily intended for long-range bombing missions - i.e. to attack 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 alone 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

Spaceship is a vehicle designed for flights in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and transportation of people and goods.

The space capsule is a special type spacecraft, which has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule must have everything you need to Everyday life including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from the 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.

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

More real examples for history are Leonardo da Vinci, the Montgolfier brothers and other engineers, as well as enthusiasts who are passionate about their ideas, such as, for example, the American Wright brothers. The modern era of aircraft construction began with the latter, it was they who brought out some of the fundamental principles that are still used today.

As in the case of automobiles, the efficiency of aircraft grew over time, and designers got more opportunities to create some new, often revolutionary means of air transportation. With sufficient funding and support from those in power (more often - the military), it was possible to realize the most unusual projects. Often these were devices unadapted to life, which could only fly on paper. Others did get off the ground, but their production turned out to be too expensive. There were also other restrictions, including those of a technical nature.

We decided to list some both forgotten and promising aircraft for personal use. These are not aircraft for carrying a large number of passengers or bulky cargo, but individual means movements, attracting with their unusualness and theoretically capable of simplifying the life of a person of the future.

(Total 30 photos + 10 videos)

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HZ-1 Aerocycle (YHO-2)

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

2. They were powered by a 43 horsepower 4-cylinder engine, maximum speed unit flight - up to 110 km / h.

3. The YHO-2 was tested by professional pilot Selmer Sandby, who became a volunteer in this matter. His longest flight lasted 43 minutes, others ended a few seconds after takeoff. There were also incidents: several times the blades of two propellers touched, which led to their deformation, as well as loss of control over the apparatus.

4. 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 by seat belts. The engineers were never able to solve the problem with the propellers, and as a result, the project was closed. 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 tests.

jetpack

5. In the 1950s, another promising individual vehicle was being developed - the jetpack. This idea, featured in science fiction back in the 1920s, later embodied in comics and films (for example, "Rocketman" in 1991), but before that, engineers and designers spent a lot of effort on implementing the idea of ​​​​making a rocket man. Attempts have not stopped so far, but the level of technology development still does not allow to overcome some limitations. In particular, there is no talk of a long-term flight yet, controllability also leaves much to be desired. There are also questions regarding the safety of the pilot

6. The "pioneer" among rocket packs was distinguished by 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 this was where all the advantages of the device ended. To maintain a single satchel, a whole team 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 infantry or flying special forces, were disappointed.

8. Subsequently, a modernized version of the device appeared - RB 2000 Rocket Belt. Its development was carried out by three Americans: insurance seller 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 a sample of RB 2000. A court later followed, 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 the flight of an insurance agent, he received a life sentence (it was reduced to eight years). After all these ups and downs, the RB 2000 was never found.

Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar

9. 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 VTOL aircraft. When looking at it, an analogy with flying saucers immediately comes to mind. The pilot project cost at least three years and $10 million. In total, two copies of the high-tech "doughnut" with a turbine in the middle were built.

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

11. The second full-fledged prototype did not justify 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 talk of an effective flight. The engineers also found out that it would not be possible to lift the Avrocar into the air to any significant height, and the existing sample risked getting stuck in tall grass or small shrubs.

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

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

A bicycle helicopter deserves attention as proof that, if desired, many obstacles can be bypassed and even something that does not inspire confidence at rest can be made to fly.

Hoverbike Chris Malloy

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

17. 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 offspring.

18. The engineer believes that his aircraft is better than the existing helicopters (it is with them that he compares the hoverbike). The unit does not require advanced knowledge in the field of piloting, as 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 of 30 liters of fuel (60 liters - with additional tanks), the flow rate will be 30 liters per hour, or 0.5 liters per minute. The width of the hoverbike reaches 1.3 meters, length - 3 meters, net weight - 105 kg, maximum takeoff weight - 270 kg.

20. The unit will be able to take off to a height of almost 3 km, and its speed will be more than 250 km/h. All this sounds promising, but so far it is unlikely.

21. A fully working water-powered rocket pack prototype was completed in 2008. According to its creators, the first draft of the future device appeared eight years before. A promo demonstrating the capabilities of the 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 dollars. Over time, the water-powered pack has noticeably decreased in price, which has decreased for the R200x model to 68.5 thousand dollars. This became possible due to the emerging competition.

22. In our list, this is the first aircraft that actually exists, works and has a certain popularity. It is “tied” to the 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. Given a sufficiently long river, a Jetlev pilot could cover almost 50 km (another question is whether there is a person who can withstand such a path).

23. The development does not claim to be a “serious” vehicle, but it will make you feel like James Bond, who has a new gadget from research center British Secret Service.

M400 Skycar

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

25. Initially, Moller was accused of issuing marketing materials in which he announced that his cars of the future would fill the airspace within a few years. Then doubts were raised by transactions with securities and a 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 $30,000 out of the required $950,000.

26. According to the designer, currently time is running development of the M400X Skycar model. A car designed to carry one person (driver) is, on paper, capable of reaching speeds of up to 530 km/h and taking off to a height of 10,000 meters. In reality, the idea is likely to remain an idea, and Paul Moller's life's work, 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 007.

28. Powered by a Suzuki GSX-R1000 engine, the vehicle is capable of speeds in excess of 200 km/h, as proven during races in the US salt desert. The ability to conquer the sky, according to the developer, the flying motorcycle will receive in the coming months.

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

30. Now Dejø Molnar is working on how to reduce the weight of the G2 and adapt the engine that drives the motorcycle to interact with the propeller. It was then that the engineer will publish a video demonstrating all the capabilities of the vehicle he is creating.

The desire to fly never disappeared from a person. Even today, when traveling by plane to the other side of the planet is a completely common thing, I want to assemble at least the simplest aircraft with my own hands, and if you don’t fly yourself, then at least fly in the first person with the help of a camera, for this they use unmanned vehicles. We will consider the simplest designs, diagrams and drawings and, perhaps, fulfill our old dream ...

Requirements for ultralight aircraft

Sometimes emotions and the desire to fly can defeat common sense, and the ability to design and correctly carry out calculations and plumbing work is not taken into account at all. This approach is fundamentally wrong, and therefore, several decades ago, the Ministry of Aviation prescribed General requirements to homemade ultralight aircraft. We will not give the entire set of requirements, but will limit ourselves to only the most important ones.

1. A self-made aircraft must be easy to operate, easy to fly on takeoff and landing, and the use of non-traditional methods and control systems of the device is strictly prohibited.
2. In the event of an engine failure, the aircraft must remain stable and ensure safe gliding and landing.
3. The takeoff run of the aircraft before takeoff and takeoff from the ground is not more than 250 m, and the takeoff speed is at least 1.5 m/s.
4. The effort on the control sticks is within 15-50 kgf, depending on the maneuver being performed.
5. Clamps of aerodynamic steering planes must withstand an overload of at least 18 units.

aircraft design requirements

Since an aircraft is a means of increased risk, the use of materials, steels, cables, hardware of components and assemblies of unknown origin is not allowed when designing an aircraft structure. If wood is used in the structure, then it must be free of visible damage and knots, and those compartments and cavities in which moisture and condensate can accumulate must be equipped with drainage holes.

The simplest version of a motorized aircraft is a monoplane with a pulling motor propeller. The scheme is quite old, but time-tested. The only drawback of monoplanes is that it is quite difficult to leave the cockpit in emergency conditions, the monowing interferes. But by design, these devices are very simple:

• the wing is made of wood according to the two-spar scheme;
• welded steel frame, some use riveted aluminum frames;
• sheathing combined or linen completely;
• closed cabin with a door operating according to an automobile scheme;
• simple pyramidal chassis.

The drawing above shows a Malysh monoplane with a 30-horsepower gasoline engine, a take-off weight of 210 kg. The aircraft develops a speed of 120 km / h and has a flight range with a ten-liter tank of about 200 km.

High-wing strut design

The drawing shows a single-engine high-wing Leningradets, built by a group of St. Petersburg aircraft modellers. The design of the device is also simple and unpretentious. The wing is made of pine plywood, the fuselage is welded from a steel pipe, the skin is classic linen. Wheels for the landing gear - from agricultural machinery in order to be able to carry out flights with a start from unprepared soils. The engine is based on the design of the MT8 motorcycle engine with 32 horsepower, and the take-off weight of the device is 260 kg.

The device proved to be excellent in terms of controllability and ease of maneuvering, and for ten years it was successfully operated and took part in rallies and competitions.

All-wood aircraft PMK3

The all-wood apparatus PMK3 also showed excellent flight qualities. The aircraft had a peculiar nose shape, a landed landing gear with small-diameter wheels, and the cockpit had an automobile-type door. The aircraft had an all-wooden fuselage with canvas skin and a single-spar wing made of pine plywood. The apparatus is equipped with a water-cooled outboard motor Vikhr3.

As you can see, with certain skills in design and engineering, you can not only make a working model of an aircraft or a drone, but also a completely complete simple aircraft with your own hands. Be creative and dare, successful flights!

The man is uncontrollably striving into the air. Public transport - airplanes and helicopters - no longer suits people ...

Everyone wants to own their own aircraft, which will allow them not to be tied to the flight schedule and not to stand idle for hours in traffic jams.

So vehicle can become a Flike tricopter.

Flike: taking off from the ground.

Hungarian inventors at Bay Zoltan Nonprofit Ltd, a drone and personal aircraft company, have finally unveiled the first working prototype of their tricopter. The innovative aircraft is called Flike. So far, the tricopter can not do much, but the beginning is inspiring.

Aircraft powered by petrol engine V8.

The device is powered by a V8 petrol engine. The fuel supply is enough, at its current level of consumption, for 15-20 minutes of flight.

However, while Flike cannot make a full-fledged flight. In the last tests, the tricopter was able to be lifted into the air and lifted off the ground by 5 meters.

At the same time, the transport simply hovered above the ground. A team of engineers from Bay Zoltan Nonprofit Ltd has not yet decided to carry out a horizontal flight, because the device is under development.

Flike: vertical takeoff and landing.

Finish work on the first functional model Flike developers promise already in 2016. Until that time, it is planned to transfer vehicles from a gasoline engine to an electric one powered by batteries.

It is expected that this will make Flike not so much cleaner as more economical and safer. The tricopter is designed for only one pilot.

Unfortunately, nothing is known about the speed of its movement. Transport has the ability to perform vertical takeoff and landing.