Individual aircraft of the future. The most unusual aircraft in the world

It's amazing what kind of aircraft can be assembled with a lot of effort, creativity and a lot of money. I bring to your attention a selection of unusual and sometimes rather strange aircraft.

NASA's M2-F1 project was nicknamed the "flying bath". The developers saw its main purpose in use as a capsule for landing astronauts. The first flight of this wingless aircraft took place on August 16, 1963, and exactly three years later on the same day, the last one took place.

Remote controlled. From mid-1979 to January 1983, two remotely piloted HiMAT vehicles were tested at NASA Air Force Base. Each aircraft was about half the size of the F-16, but had almost twice the maneuverability. At a transonic speed of sound at an altitude of 7500 m, the device could make a turn with an overload of 8 g, for comparison, the F-16 fighter at the same heights can withstand an overload of only 4.5 g. At the end of the research, both devices were saved:

Tailless. The McDonell Douglas X-36 prototype aircraft, built for one purpose: to test the flying abilities of tailless aircraft. It was built in 1997 and, as conceived by the developers, could be controlled remotely from the ground:

Crooked. Ames AD-1 (Ames AD-1) - experimental and the world's first oblique wing aircraft Ames Research Center and Burt Rutan. It was built in 1979 and made its first flight on December 29 of the same year. Tests were carried out until the beginning of 1982. During this time, AD-1 mastered 17 pilots. After the closure of the program, the aircraft was placed in the Museum of the city of San Carlos, where it is still located:

With rotating wings. The Boeing Vertol VZ-2 is the world's first aircraft using the concept of a rotary wing, vertical/short takeoff and landing. The first vertical takeoff/hover flight was made by the VZ-2 in the summer of 1957. After a series of successful tests, the VZ-2 was transferred to the NASA research center in the early 60s:

The largest helicopter In connection with the needs of the Soviet national economy and the armed forces in design office them. M. L. Mil in 1959 began research on a super-heavy helicopter. On August 6, 1969, an absolute world record for lifting cargo was set on the MI V-12 helicopter - 40 tons to a height of 2,250 meters, which has not been surpassed to date; in total, 8 world records were set on the B-12 helicopter. In 1971, the B-12 helicopter was successfully demonstrated at the 29th International Aviation and Space Salon in Paris, where it was recognized as the “star” of the salon, and then in Copenhagen and Berlin. B-12 is the heaviest and most lifting helicopter ever built in the world:

Flying saucer. The VZ-9-AV Avrocar is a VTOL aircraft developed by the Canadian company Avro Aircraft Ltd. The development of the aircraft began in 1952 in Canada. November 12, 1959 made the first flight. In 1961, the project was closed, as officially stated due to the inability of the "plate" to get off the ground above 1.5 meters. In total, two Avrocar devices were built:

Fighter in the form of a flying wing Northrop XP-79B, equipped with two jet engines, was built in 1945 by the American company Northrop. It was assumed that he would dive on enemy bombers and break them, chopping off the tail section. On September 12, 1945, the aircraft made its only flight, which ended in disaster after 15 minutes of flight:

The plane is a spaceship. The Boeing X-48 (Boeing X-48) is an American experimental unmanned aerial vehicle, created jointly by Boeing and NASA. The device uses one of the varieties of the flying wing. July 20, 2007 he first rose to a height of 2300 meters and landed after 31 minutes of flight. The X-48B was the best invention of 2007 according to the Times.

Futuristic. Another NASA project - NASA Hyper III - an aircraft created in 1969:

Experimental aircraft Vought V-173. In the 1940s, the American engineer Charles Zimmerman created an aircraft with a unique aerodynamic design, which still continues to amaze not only with its unusual appearance, but also with its flight characteristics. For his unique appearance, he was awarded many nicknames, among which was "Flying Pancake". It became one of the first vertical/short takeoff and landing vehicles:

Descended from heaven. The HL-10 is one of five NASA Flight Research Center aircraft used to study and test the ability to safely maneuver and land on a low lift-to-drag craft after it returned from space:

Reverse sweep. Su-47 "Berkut" - a project of the Russian carrier-based fighter, developed in the OKB. Sukhoi. The fighter has a reverse swept wing; composite materials are widely used in the airframe design. In 1997, the first flying copy of the Su-47 was built, now it is experimental:

Striped. The Grumman X-29 is a forward-swept prototype aircraft developed in 1984 by Grumman Aerospace Corporation (now Northrop Grumman). In total, two copies were built by order of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency:

Take off vertically. The LTV XC-142 is an American experimental tilt-wing VTOL transport aircraft. He made his first flight on September 29, 1964. Five aircraft built. The program was discontinued in 1970. The only surviving copy of the aircraft is on display at the US Air Force Museum:

Caspian Monster. "KM" (Layout Ship), also known abroad as the "Caspian Monster" - an experimental ekranoplan developed in the design bureau of R. E. Alekseev. The ekranoplan had a wingspan of 37.6 m, a length of 92 m, and a maximum takeoff weight of 544 tons. Before the appearance of the An-225 Mriya aircraft, it was the heaviest aircraft in the world. Tests of the "Caspian Monster" took place in the Caspian for 15 years until 1980. In 1980, due to a pilot error, the KM crashed, there were no casualties. After that, operations to restore or build a new copy of the CM were not carried out:

Air whale. Super Guppy is a transport aircraft for transporting oversized cargo. Developer - Aero Spacelines. Issued in the amount of five copies in two modifications. First flight - August 1965. The only flying "air whale" belongs to NASA and is operated to deliver large items to the ISS.

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

Flying flashlight - 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 North 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. While they are primarily used in the toy market, some solar balloons 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 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 (similar to 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 back to 1470. In modern days, parachutes are used to lower a variety of cargo, 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 greater wing area and lifting force 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. 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 kaitoon can remain in a fairly stable position above the anchor point of the line, 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, heavier-than-air aircraft that 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 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). Such designs were not put into mass production, but several manned and unmanned prototypes appeared, 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 achieve much higher speeds than similarly sized jet aircraft. 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. At the moment, the 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

The spaceship is 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.

A space capsule is a special type of spacecraft that has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule must have everything you need for daily 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.

Man has long dreamed of learning to fly like a bird, and aircraft are exactly what this desire and the scientific and technical vector of human development led him to. Aircrafts- a long branch of evolution and progress, starting first unsuccessful attempts to create a muscle plane (like the one that Icarus blundered with) and ending with modern Boeings, fighters, bombers, spacecraft - everything that allows us to move around land and sea. Despite the seemingly unimaginably complex technology behind 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, a person’s desire is the law, and it can be said with confidence that he overfulfilled the plan to repeat the feat of the birds of this world.

Do you think the flying skateboard (hoverboard) from the movie "Back to the Future" really exists? For many, this may be a revelation, but a fantastic vehicle has long been created and used for flights. It's called Flyboard Air and was invented

Since ancient times, people have been striving for the sky, so for decades they have been inventing various aircraft to achieve their goal. And it would seem that everything that could be invented has long been invented. But no, there are daredevils who take to the skies in a variety of ways, sometimes very small in size. We present to your attention the TOP 10 smallest aircraft in the world.

1. Paragliding

A paraglider is an ultralight aircraft created on the basis of double-shell parachutes. Sometimes you hear some people call a paraglider a parachute. But this is not entirely correct. In appearance, they are so similar - a parachute and a paraglider, a paraglider is a distant relative of a parachute, but at the moment this relationship is only in one thing - both devices for flying in the air basically have a soft wing, not equipped with a frame. The fundamental difference between a paraglider and a parachute is that the paraglider is designed to fly. A paraglider is a foot-launched, air-filled canopy that some pilots can use to fly over 300 km and rise above 7,000 meters. The paraglider is easy to take off, control and land, and fits in a backpack.

2. Paraglider

Motorized paraglider (or "paramotor") - a paraglider with a dorsal power plant that provides take-off and movement in the air. A motor glider allows you to make the flight more dynamic and give it new, bright colors that you will not get when you jump with a parachute or rise into the air on a hang glider.

3. CMC Leopard

The smallest passenger aircraft in the world, perhaps the most outstanding high-speed light aircraft ever built and flown. The good aerodynamic shape of the Leopard, according to the designer's calculations, even with engines of such low thrust will provide it with a speed of 870 km / h, a flight range of 2775 km. It can be operated from a runway with a length of 700-800 m. After the first flight, test pilot A. McVitie said that the Leopard turned out to be obedient in control, quite stable and not prone to stall. Evaluating the so-called "tailerons" used by Chichester-Miles, that is, the differentially deflected halves of the stabilizer, the tester stated that he did not notice much difference in control.

4. Gen H-4

The smallest helicopter The single-seat rotary-wing aircraft of the GEN H-4 model began to be developed by the Japanese designer Gennai Yanasigawa in the late 90s of the last century. New helicopter was supposed to acquire compact dimensions and, as a result, become a very popular vehicle. Despite the rather simple design, the GEN H-4 helicopter has high reliability, which ensures its complete safety during flights, which has been confirmed by dozens of tests and the subsequent use of this aircraft, which, unfortunately, due to its limited capabilities, has never been was able to gain wide popularity among the public.

5 Colomban Cri-Cri

Who today does not know, at least in circles of fans of light aviation, the name and twists and turns of a small twin-engine aircraft called "Cri-Cri" (Cricri) - an aircraft that could be seen at many aviation festivals and which became the subject of numerous articles and publications presses. It all started in 1958, when the first mention of a small single-seat aircraft with two engines with a total power of 20 hp appeared. The first flight of the MK-10 Cree Cree (F-WTXJ) prototype took place on July 19, 1973. In front of a small group of spectators, photographers and television operators, Robert Buisson, a 68-year-old pilot with more than 12,000 flight hours, tore off earth unusual plane. In flight, the Kri-Kri resembled a small fighter.

6. Bede BD-5J Microjet

The BD-5 is a small, single-seat aircraft with a two-cylinder, two-stroke engine. The prototype (N500BD) first flew on 12 September 1971. The aircraft had a short fuselage with a glider-type cockpit, in which the pilot was located in a semi-recumbent position. pusher air propeller was located behind the tail and connected to the engine using an elongated shaft and a V-belt drive. Subsequently, Bede developed a version with a jet engine with a thrust of about 90 kg. The aircraft was produced in the form of a set of blanks, from which anyone could assemble the aircraft.

7. McDonnell XF-85 Goblin

An American jet aircraft designed as an escort fighter that could be based on the Convair B-36 heavy bomber. The cabin volume was only 0.74 m3. Due to such tightness, the pilot's seat could not be made adjustable in height, but it was possible to adjust the machine gun sight and pedals. The working ceiling of the Convair B-36 of the first models was as much as 13 km, therefore, despite the modest volume of the cabin, it was provided for heating, pressurization and pressurization. In addition, the aircraft was equipped with a high-pressure oxygen system and a cylinder with a supply of oxygen for the pilot to breathe in case of an emergency exit from the aircraft.

8. Flyboard Air (flying board)

Tests of the invention of the Frenchman Frank Zapata are completed. Flyboard Air allows a person to rush through the air at speeds up to 150 km per hour! And at the same time, no wings - only a special stand on which four jet engine. Each with a capacity of 250 horsepower. The supply of kerosene is in the tank-pack on the back of the pilot. The flying board is controlled with the help of a remote control in the pilot's hand and platform tilts with their feet.

9. Bumble Bee 2

The smallest aircraft in the world in terms of wingspan. The title of "the smallest aircraft in the world" passed from model to model quite often. The first official holder of this title was the California-built Wee Bee, which first flew in 1948. In the next four years, engineers Ray Stits entered the fray with the Junior aircraft and Wilbur Stabe with the Little Bit machine. In 1952, Stits put an end to it: his new mini-plane Stits SA-2A Sky Baby had a wingspan of 2.18 meters, and the record held until the 1980s. Yes, the main parameter of the dimensions of the aircraft is precisely the wingspan, the length may be slightly more than the previous record holder.

10. Hang glider

The hang glider completes our rating. A non-motorized aircraft heavier than air, made according to the tailless scheme with a swept wing, the flight control of which is carried out by shifting the center of mass due to the movement of the pilot relative to the suspension point. Flight control is carried out by the pilot by moving his body relative to the suspension point. Landing is on the feet.

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.

HZ-1 Aerocycle (YHO-2) 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. "Aerocycle" was a platform, from below to which two rotating in different directions propeller (the length of each blade is more than 4.5 meters). They were driven by a 4-cylinder engine with a capacity of 43 horsepower, the maximum flight speed of the unit was up to 110 km / h.

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.
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.

In the 1950s, another promising individual vehicle was being developed - jetpack. This idea, which appeared in science fiction as far back as the 1920s, later found its embodiment in comics and films (for example, "The Rocketeer" in 1991), but before that, engineers and designers spent a lot of effort on realizing the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bmaking 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.
The "pioneer" among rocket packs was distinguished by 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 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.
The military, who saw in a very expensive project the prospect of creating space marines or flying special forces, were disappointed.
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 along with the RB 2000 sample. Later, a trial followed, but Barker refused to pay $ 10 million. Stanley grabbed his former partner and put him in a box for eight days, for which in 2002 after flight insurance agent 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.
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. At least three years and $10 million were spent on the pilot project. In total, two copies of the high-tech “doughnut” with a turbine in the middle were built.

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.

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
Last year, two Canadian engineers received the Sikorsky Prize, established in 1980. Initially, its size was $10,000. In 2009, payments increased to $250,000. According to the rules of the competition, a muscle-powered aircraft had to fly 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, 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, duration - over a minute.

At peak, the Atlas pilot was able to generate the 1.5 horsepower required to reach the desired 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.
Some are inspired by UFO stories, and Chris Malloy is probably a Star Wars fan. 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. 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.



The engineer believes that his aircraft is better than 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.
It is planned that the device will be equipped with a tank of 30 liters of fuel (60 liters - with additional tanks), the consumption 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. 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.
Jetlev.
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. $ 68.5 thousand. This became possible thanks to the emerging competition.
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).
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 the research center of the British Secret Service.
M400 Skycar.
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. V 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 at least since 1997 he has regularly attracted attention. financial services and regulatory bodies.
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 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 $30,000 out of the required $950,000.

According to the designer, the M400X Skycar is currently under development. 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.
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 reaching speeds of over 200 km / h, which has been proven during the races in the salt desert in the United States. The ability to conquer the sky, according to the developer, the flying motorcycle will receive in the coming months.

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.
Now Dejø Molnar is working on reducing the G2's weight and adapting the engine that powers the bike to work with the propeller. It was then that the engineer will publish a video demonstrating all the capabilities of the vehicle he is creating.