For me this project was all about an ancient dream, the seamingly impossible and pushing the limits of human capabilities and technical applications. I am happy that a lot of people wanted to dismiss scientific boundaries for a moment and allowed themselves to share the dream with me.

Thanks for all your input and interest last months, let us never stop dreaming!

Read the Human Birdwings statement here.

Last week  a piece about my wings appeared in the German Financial Times.

Click the picture to be sent straight through.

The wing mechanism have been taken apart for detailed fixing. The freezing cold inside my workshop brought the risk of damaging the mechanics, so I decided to disassemble it. Sa after the first testflight I have spent time giving it some ‘tender love and care’. As you can see on the pictures below, the wingfabric is torn in some places. For now I’m quick-fixing it with duct tape. In the meanwhile thinking about a better solution.

Another reason nothing special has been happening is that The Netherlands have been covered with snow since the beginning of february. Which was a pity because I felt really anxious to try a second time with my wings. Anyhow, I have taken my time to relax, enjoy some iceskating and working on the wings.  The passed couple of days the snow has melted away, so when the sun shines there might be some opportunities to fly coming up.

But ever since the beginning of this project I have been watching these guys, the albatrosses. They have this similar style of flapping their wings and an unsteady body movement, and still they get into the air (after some training!).

Important to keep in mind is the big difference between men and birds, the human body has a big difference in locomotion. To be able to able to fly in the same way as birds do, we should learn another way of moving our bodies. Even young birds  are not yet equal in control of their wings. In contrast to other animals being able to walk instantly after their birth, it takes considerably longer for young birds to able to fly. For them it is also a process of learning and practising.

“Super! Especially the shots in which they show they want to be lifted by their own wings. They show it by their head movements, it seems”.

In my opinion this quote summarizes the issue very well. Just like birds, humans have to amplify their locomotion to get control and get familiar with their new body expansion; The Wings. In my conception this is something which is independent of any hardware of software problem.

Look below how young albatrosses are learning to fly and see how they manage to get lifted after a frustrating struggle with gravity.

Here’s the bit where they talk about my Human Birdwings project.
Three is a Quorum about Human Birdwings (click it, and it will play)

And here is the original link: http://3aq.tumblr.com/post/16799334255/ep-3-hawkmen-attack

 These days I have been mainly focused with fixing details of the wings. So, you might have missed my regular updates? A digital friend actually wrote me wether I am still doing ok? I can tell you that I am!

First, thanks to all who have sent me very useful technical advise & help! It helped me refocus on what needed to be done after the first testflight. 

So, while having my coffee this morning I had some time to cruise the net again. And look what I found on WIRED!
(check picture –>) 

You might want to check these out!

“Arguably, the most desirable technologies are the ones that that take the human condition as a cornerstone. They resonate with our human senses, feel natural, empower people and that realize the dreams people have of themselves. For lack of a better word we call them ‘humane technologies’. Now here is an example what might be the most humane technology since the invention of the bicycle. Dutch mechanical-engineer Jarno Smeets dreams of flying like bird. “