The Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition

摘要

AHS International established the Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition by offering an award for the first human-powered helicopter that reaches a height of 3 meters during a one-minute hover flight. This competition was inspired and established in 1980 after Dr. Paul MacCready's Gossamer Condor was the first human-powered aircraft to satisfy the Kremer Award figure eight, on August 23,1977. The Gossamer Condor won a £50,000 prize. The American Helicopter Society investigated and concluded that human-powered helicopter flight was indeed feasible, but the Kremer figure eight would be too difficult and that just hovering alone was considered more than enough of a challenge. The AHS Board then established the Igor I. Sikorsky Human-Powered Helicopter Competition by offering an award of $10,000 (subsequently raised to $20,000) for the first HPH to reach a height of 3 meters during a one-minute hover flight. This achievement would establish a new world record.