Leonardo Da Vinci flying machine!
- The Flight of Genius!

AIM OF THIS PAGE

The aim of this page titled ‘ Leonardo Da Vinci flying machines. The Flight of Genius! ’ is to house all of Leonardo's flying pursuits and offer a better understanding of his thought processes, motivations and findings.

Related pages
Glider	Helicopter	Parachute

LEONARDO'S DESIGNS ON FLIGHT!

- GLIDER -

~ Leonardo Da Vinci flying machines. Flight of Genius! ~

:Invention of the Glider!

This is the first ever plane design capable of flight and is best known as the ‘Leonardo Da Vinci Glider'.

This prototype model is one of the most practically usable of the great inventors' designs.

The model design is closely related to what we consider to be a glider today.

- ORNIHOPTER -

~ Leonardo Da Vinci flying machines. Flight of Genius! ~

:Invention of the Ornihopter!

1493

This design is more functional as an explorative model rather than a feasible working design.

- HELICOPTER -

~ Leonardo Da Vinci flying machines. Flight of Genius! ~

:Invention of the Helicopter!

This is the first ever helicopter concept.

This design uses an aerodynamic screw, which had previously only been applied to a children's toy from Asia.

- PARACHUTE -

~ Leonardo Da Vinci flying machines. Flight of Genius! ~

:Invention of the Parachute

Leonardo could have designed this parachute for the following reasons;

FOR HIS PATRON

Leonardo may have created the parachute for a potential Patron as means of escaping a castle when under heavy attack.

AS IT’S A FORM OF FLIGHT

Leonardo's love for flight could have included anything that allowed the feeling for flight, even in an instrument that allowed a gradual drop from a great height.

INTERESTING POINTS ON LEONARDO DA VINCI FLYING MACHINES!

THE ULTIMATE QUEST WAS THE FLIGHT OF GENIUS

Taking to the skies in engineered flight in Leonardo's time was the apex of imagination's reach and also a depth of understanding in the mechanics of reality. For Leonardo, there was a very close link to flying and his imagination that wanted to sprout wings and soar over land.

WRIGHT BROTHERS ‘FIRST FLIGHT’ RECORD BROKEN!

One of Leonardo's designs for flight of a glider was recreated a few years ago to the specifications of his drawings. The test was successful and flew for a longer distance and higher altitude than the historic Wright brother's pilot flight did. The glider was made of the same materials that Leonardo would have used and was created to his instructions.

LEONARDO’S FAILED PILOT TEST

1496, 3rd of January: An entry made in one of the Leonardo's notebooks stated that he had unsuccessfully conducted a flight test. This tells us an interesting point about the great inventor. Leonardo may have produced and tested more of his designs than we realise.

The failure of a prototype wouldn’t have been an issue for Leonardo. First designs are meant to be tested in order to realise the problems that arise in real life, that aren't anticipated in theory. Theory can never replace the realism of reality as nature is forever evolving and it creates the rules! And humans in a sense are always playing catch up.

Despite the unsuccessful test, when his glider was tested in recent years, it was a success. Leonardo had possibly tested one of his other, earlier designs.

Overall, in all pursuits creative, there is no mistake that can be made when testing a prototype other than giving up on your aspirations. Leonardo never did.

AN INCIDENT OF DESTINY IN LEONARDO’S YOUTH

An incident in Leonardo’s youth is very telling of his efforts to achieve flight, which the following Leonardo Da Vinci quote shows;

“It comes to me almost like a dream, the first recollection of my infancy. I was in my cradle and a great hawk flew down to me. It opened my mouth with its tail and its feathers struck me several times inside my lips. That bird seems to me now to have pointed me to my destiny.”

Leonardo took this incident as an Omen that he was meant to fly, someday and it strengthened his resolve to achieve flight.

As a note and a testament to Leonardo’s inspirational character, instead of possibly forming a phobia of birds, Leonardo chose to see a positive message giving evidence of his fearless nature.

RELATED RESOURCES:

VIDEOS:

Click here for help if video is does not load.

1) TITLE: Flying Machine / Glider
TYPE: Video footage of building and test, German language, 6.04 minutes.
GOOD POINTS: Leonardo’s Glider has been reproduced and put in flight.

Return from

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE PAGES ON LEONARDO!
Click on a picture below

ANATOMY
Leonardo changed the way anatomy was studied