Mini Chopper, Jet Powered Solo Flyer Do da Vinci Proud

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In a grand gesture befitting Japan's respect for tradition, the world's smallest one-man helicopter will soon take flight in the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, who is credited with having first thought of a vertical-flight machine.

The 75-kilogram (165-pound) helicopter will make a demonstration flight in the city of Vinci, near Florence, on May 25, according to Japanese developer Gennai Yanagisawa, 75.

"Since the concept of our helicopter came from Italy, I always wanted to take a flight in the birthplace of da Vinci," Yanagisawa said, as reported by Yahoo.com.
"I feel like I'm greeting an ancestor. I hope da Vinci would be pleased," Yanagisawa said..

.The helicopter, named GEN H-4, has a set of two rotors turning in opposite directions and can fly at a maximum speed of 50 kilometres (31 miles) per hour.

Renaissance genius da Vinci was born in Vinci in 1452 and spent the first several years of his life there. His sketches, dated in 1493 and discovered in the 19th century, shows a vertical flight machine. As in the drawing, the GEN H-4 has no tail.

Yanagisawa runs a company selling the helicopter and has so far sold five units in Japan and two to US customers at about 58,250 dollars apiece.

Meanwhile in Switzerland, a former fighter pilot spent his day off turning ;loops over in the Swiss Alps, Soaring on jet powered wings. Yves Rossy ,48, made his first public flight with a self-made flying machine before the world press Wednesday, after five years of training and many more years of dreaming.

The commercial jet jockey and extreme sports enthusiast pronounced the flight absolutely brilliant after touching down on an airfield near Lake Geneva. Half an hour earlier Rossy stepped out of the Swiss-built Plautus Porter aircraft at 7,500 feet, unfolded the rigid 8-foot wings strapped to his back and dropped.

Passing from free fall to a gentle glide, Rossy then triggered four jet turbines and accelerated to 186 miles an hour as a crowd on the mountaintop below gasped, then cheered.

‘Steering only with his body, Rossy dived, turned and soared again, flying what appeared to be effortless loops from one side of the Rhone valley to the other. At times he rose 2,600 feet before descending again with a trail of special-effects smoke in his wake.

Having done da Vinci, Rossy now plans to go all Evel Knievel on the English Channel, later this year. Rossy plans to head off into uncertain winds for the 22 mile trip which will test his flying machine to its limits The attempt will be shown on live TV To do this, he'll have to fit his wings with bigger, more powerful jets to allow for greater maneuvering. The German-built model aircraft engines he currently uses already provide 200 pounds of thrust, enough to allow Rossy and his 120-pound flying suit to climb through the air.

Once there, he'll manoeuvre exactly as da Vinci envisioned his membrane wings would, by turning the body in the direction in which he wants to go.

Given the costs and specialised skill sets involved, this form of human flight will remain the reserve of very few for now. But bet on both chopper and jet wings to be coming to a theatre near you real soon.