$250,000 Prize for Human-Powered Helicopter

[Renegade]

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEPryYsN1wY

Article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/jul/12/helicopter-powered-man-bicycle-prize?INTCMP=SRCH

Engineers at the University of Toronto have won a prize that has been unclaimed for 33 years by building the world's first helicopter powered only by human muscle.

The Igor I Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition was launched in 1980 by the American Helicopter Society (AHS). The rules stated that the $250,000 prize could only be won by a human-powered machine capable of hovering for at least 60 seconds, reach at least 3 metres in height, and stay within an area 10 metres by 10 metres.

Definitely in the "Nifty" category.

[Shades]

Amazing feat! And a good example of why more people should study more engineering!

[4wd]

Amazing feat! And a good example of why more people should study more engineering!

Yes, that probably just covered their tuition fees

[Shades]

Why are tuition fees as high as they are?

If you would ask me (and I know you didn't, but I will tell you anyway  ), it would be that there are too many lawyers and finance students that have the impression that they deserve more money than people that actually do help the human race move out of the status quo (and hopefully in a direction most of us would call: forward).

In my admittedly limited view of the world, it is the engineers (mechanical, electrical, computational and biological/chemical) that are actually able to do the moving, while the others actively preserve the status quo, with all the problems that this brings and a lot of people are currently experiencing. Of course, there is no denying that there are exceptions on both sides, but still....

My 92 Guaranies (worth about 2 USD cents)

[Tinman57]

  Hmmmm, methinks I'll just stick with the 135 HP engine in my copter and not work up a sweat. 

[superboyac]

Awesome.