Human Powered Flapping Flight
Here are some ideas about human-powered flight. A closed cell foam wing suit, tapered evenly in thickness and rigidity would spread the force evenly across the most air possible, so all of the body's energy could be put to use.
Here's a list of keywords and concepts:
1. Vertical take-off
2. Undulating or flapping flight. Stroke like the swimmers "crawl" or "doggy paddle"
3. Super light and springy foam, sandwich layered for low internal density.
4. Leg wings, tail wing or whole body fin (like a ray)
5. "S"-curve cross section of wing, with leading edge down.
6. Corkskrew - Spring wings. Model these by twisting a metal band into a cornucopia-screw and putting it inside a balloon. Wings should be shaped like a feather -- curved down on the leading edge and up on the trailing edge and the spine should spiral either right or left handed depending on the side of the body.
On Wingsuits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttz5oPpF1Js
Wingsuits are cool except that they are going way too fast and using totally the wrong materials! :) My prediction: those wing suits will evolve up, and hangliders will evolve down - into sort of halfway wingsuit-hangliders that use adaptive (springy, stretchy) material, and curved wings that allow users to get figure-8-y undulating flapping motions. Once they get the material worked out and learn to exploit its qualities by smoothly gradating the density and shape, flying will be as easy as walking but more graceful!
Version 2 attempt to put flying ideas into words: The wing suits will evolve up, and hangliders will evolve down - into sort of halfway wingsuit-hangliders that use adaptive (springy, stretchy) material like foam, and curved wings that allow users to get figure-8-y undulating flapping motions that employ the energy of all of the body's muscles. Once they get the material worked out and learn to exploit its qualities by smoothly gradating the density and shape, flying will be as easy as walking but will be more graceful and a more whole-body experience. The purpose of the wing - to smooth the body's motion into the air and direct its energy -- to adapt between the body and the air. Does that make sense?
