List of human-powered aircraft

This is a list of human-powered aircraft by date.

Type	image	Country	Date	Class	Designer / builder	Notes
Abhilasha HPA		Netherlands	2009		Jesse van Kuijk
AeroVelo Atlas		Canada	2013	Helicopter	Todd Reichert; Cameron Robertson	Winner of Igor I. Sikorsky Human-Powered Helicopter Challenge with 64 s controlled flight, reaching 3.3 m above ground.
Airglow HPA		UK	1990		John and Mark McIntyre
Bauer Bird		USA	1973	Biplane	Ted Bauer	Built by Bauer's eight-grade students at San Gabriel Academy.[1]
Betterfly		UK	2009		David Barford	950 m max. distance. Capable of 120° turn. Very stable and easy to fly
BHI PHANTOM		Japan	2021		Yuta Watanabe / BIRDMAN HOUSE IGA	Winner of 45th Japan International Birdman Rally (JIBR 2023) HPA division. 69.68242 km round-trip along a 70 km V-shape course (18-17-17-18 km). Piloted by Yuta Watanabe; Flight distance record in JIBR.[2][3]
BHI PHOENIX		Japan	2017		Yuta Watanabe / BIRDMAN HOUSE IGA	Winner of 40th and 42nd Japan International Birdman Rally (JIBR 2017 and 2019) HPA division. In 2017, 40.000 km completed round-trip flight along a 40 km out-and-return course (20-20 km).[4] In 2019, 60.000 km completed round-trip flight around a 60 km triangle closed circuit course (19-22-19 km). Piloted by Yuta Watanabe; Flight distance record in JIBR in 2017 - 2019 and 2019 - 2023.[3][4]
Bionic Bat		USA	1984		Paul MacCready Jr.	Two Kremer speed challenges won, doing 1500 m in 163.28 seconds on 18 July 1984 and 143.08 seconds on 2 December 1984.
Bird Ornithopter		UK		Ornithopter	Bryn Bird	Two prototypes built, but no record of any flights.
Bliesner 1 to 3		USA	1978		Wayne T. Bliesner	Unsuccessful precursors to Bliesners more successful efforts. No. 3 crashed during towed-flight attempts.
Bliesner 4		USA	1979		Wayne T. Bliesner	100 yards.
Bliesner 5		USA	1980		Wayne T. Bliesner	1 mile, crashed during testing.
Bliesner 6		USA	1980		Wayne T. Bliesner	A few hops, crashed during testing.
Bliesner 7		USA	1981		Wayne T. Bliesner	300 yards.
Boffin-Coffin		New Zealand	1988		Don Walther	Prone pilot position; tandem wing; pusher propeller. Flight trials, commencing in 1987, were unsuccessful, eventually abandoned after persistent ground-handling damage and a violent gust of wind entering the hangar where the aircraft was stored.
Chyeranovskii BICh-18		USSR	1937			Only known to have been launched as a glider with the wing mechanism locked, but flown at least once with the wings operated by the pilot after a launch as a glider.
Cochkanoff HPA		USSR	1974		Orest Cochkanoff
Cook Musfly		UK	1977		David Cook	Two-place weight-shift tailless HPA. Incomplete
Cranfield Vertigo		UK	1987		Andrew Cranfield	Human-powered helicopter; transmission problems slowed development.
CT-2.2 RockHopper2		Japan	2005		Yoshiyasu Hirano / Coolthrust	Flew over 18 km at the 29th Japan international Birdman Rally in 2005 piloted by Sosuke Tanaka.
Czerwinski HPA		Canada	1967		Czerwinski	A two-seater with twin propellers built in Ottawa, but no record of any flights.
DaSH PA		USA	2015		Alec Proudfoot	[5]
Da Vinci II		USA	1988	Helicopter	California Polytechnic State University
Da Vinci III[6]		USA	1989	Helicopter	California Polytechnic State University	7 s, height 0.2 m, flight not controlled by pilot.
Druiff-Neate Cycloplane		UK	1909		built by Messrs. C. G. Spencer & Co.
Dumbo-Mercury		UK	1971		P. K. Green, W. F. Ball and M. J. Rudd / Weybridge MPAG	Originally nickname "Dumbo" at Weybridge. When taken over by John Potter at RAF Cranwell, it was renamed Mercury.
Dumoulin tracteur pour la navigation aérienne		France	1904	Biplane	Dumoulin	A human-powered circular-winged biplane with Archimedean screw propellers turned by hand.[7]
DUT Icarus 001		Netherlands			Delft University of Technology	With the Movement Science Faculty of the University of Maastricht.
Egret I		Japan	1973		Kimura / Nihon University	37 yards.
Egret 2		Japan	1974		Kimura / Nihon University	222 yards.
Egret 3		Japan	1974		Kimura / Nihon University
Farman Aviette HPA		France	1912
Flycycle			1974
Fokker I		Netherlands	1931		Built by brothers Jan and Cor Fokker	Made two towed flights
Frost Emmett HPA		New Zealand	1970s		John Frost / University of Auckland	Revisited 1984
Gamera HPH		USA	1972	Helicopter	University of Maryland
Gamera II HPH		USA	2012	Helicopter	University of Maryland	Duration 65 s, height < 1 ft
Gerhardt Cycleplane		USA	1923	Multiplane	Flight Test Section at McCook Field	20-foot (6.1 m) hop.
Gokuraku Tombo		Japan	1986		Team Aeroscepsy	Several HPAs built by the team are called the same. Two Japanese records set under the FAI rules: 4.437 km (May 1992) and 10.881 km (Aug. 2003). The 22nd Japan International Birdman Rally (JIBR) HPA section won, 23.688 km. The first HPA reached the opposite shore (northwest shore) of Lake Biwa from start point at east shore. The 30th JIBR HPA won time-trial section. Piloted by Hironori Nakayama.
Goodhart Newbury Manflier		UK	1979		Nicholas Goodhart	Two-seater with separate pods; pilot control tasks shared.
Gossamer Albatross		USA	1978		Paul MacCready Jr. & Peter Lissaman	Kremer Prize for first cross-channel flight, 12 June 1979. Two records set, both superseded: 35.82 km straight distance [8] and 2h 49 min Duration.[9]
Gossamer Condor (Pasadena version)		USA	1976		Paul MacCready Jr. & Peter Lissaman	One short hop only, in the car park of the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
Gossamer Condor (Mojave version)		USA	1976		Paul MacCready Jr. & Peter Lissaman	(Mojave version)
Gossamer Condor (Shafter airport version)		USA	1977		Paul MacCready Jr. & Peter Lissaman	Kremer prize for figure-eight course, 1.15 miles (1850 m), 7 min 25 s flight, 23 August 1977.[10]
Halton Jupiter		UK	1972		Christopher Roper /John Potter	1171 m, 1 min 47 s flight[11]
Hardy HPA					Roger Hardy
Hartman Ikarus		UK	1959		Emiel Hartman
Hill Flying Wing					Hill
HMPAC Puffin 1		UK	1961		Wimpenny, Vann & Hatfield Man Powered Aircraft Club	993 yards.
HMPAC Puffin 2		UK	1965		Wimpenny, Vann & Hatfield Man Powered Aircraft Club	875 yards, height 17 feet, turns.
Aviette Hurel		France	1974		Maurice Hurel	Flight trials in June 1974 [12]
HV-1 Mufli		Germany	1935		Helmut Haessler & F. Villinger	MUSKELFLUG INSTITUT (Institute of Muscle-Powered-Flight) At the Gesellschaft Polytechnic, Frankfurt, director – Oskar Ursinus – 779 yards from bungee launch. Flugzeug-Typenbuch. Handbuch der deutschen Luftfahrt- und Zubehör-Industrie 1944[13]
HVS		Germany	1982		Hütter/Villinger/Schüle	Operated in 20 mph winds.
HYPER-CHick "KoToNo Limited"		Japan	1992		Toshiaki Yoshikawa / Team Active Gals	First female flight in Japan on 5 July 1992, with Kotono Hori as pilot. 119.45 m (130.19 yards) / 22.98 seconds
Ibis HPA		Japan	1978		Nihon University	Further development of the Jupiter – Stork line.
Icarus HPA-1		USA	1977		Taras Kiceniuk Jr.	Longest flight of 30 seconds at Shafter Airport.
Kiceniuk Icarus			1975		Taras Kiceniuk Jr.	WIGE HPAC project[14]
Kohm Lady Godiva		USA	1982		Thomas Kohm et al.	Replica of the MacCready Gossamer Albatross. First "girl-powered" HPA
Linnet I		Japan	1966		Prof. Kimura / Research Institute of Science and Technology, Nihon University	47 yards, height 9 feet.
Linnet II		Japan	1967		Prof. Kimura / Research Institute of Science and Technology, Nihon University	100 yards, height 5 feet.
Linnet III		Japan	1970		Prof. Kimura / Research Institute of Science and Technology, Nihon University	34 yards.
Linnet IV		Japan	1971		Prof. Kimura / Research Institute of Science and Technology, Nihon University	66 yards.
Lippisch 1929 Man-Powered Ornithopter		Germany	1929	Ornithopter	Alexander Lippisch	Flown by Hans Werner Krause.
Liverpuffin		UK	1972		Keith Sherwin	Built from the remains of the Puffin II by students from Liverpool University led by Sherwin.
Malliga 1 HPA		Austria	1967		Josef Malliga	[15]
Malliga 2 HPA		Austria	1972		Josef Malliga	[15]
Maniatis MPA		USA	1979		Michael Maniatis	Tested at Mitchel Field, NY. Did not fly.
Man-Eagle 1		USA	1982		Wayne T. Bliesner	Short flights a.k.a. "Bliesner 8".
Man-Eagle 3		USA	1983		Wayne T. Bliesner	Kremer Speed Course.
Man-Eagle 4		USA	1985		Wayne T. Bliesner
Maruoka Man-Powered Screw-Wing Machine		Japan	1902		Katsura Maruoka	[16]
Southend MPG Mayfly		UK	1965		Brian Kerry
McAvoy MPA-1		USA	1962		James M. McAvoy	Georgia Tech.
Michelob Light Eagle		USA	1986		Mark Drela / Massachusetts Institute of Technology	37 miles. Onboard test equipment.
MiLan'81		Japan	1981		Naito / Nihon University	645 yards.
MiLan'82		Japan	1982		Naito / Nihon University	1800 yards.
MIT BURD		USA	1973	Biplane	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	First of several HPAs built by MIT students. Did not fly.
MIT BURD II		USA	1976	Biplane	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Copy of the original BURD. Did not fly.
MIT Chrysalis		USA	1979	Biplane	Parks & Youngren / Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Over a four-month period, made 345 flights with 44 different pilots.
MIT Daedalus 87		USA	1987		Drela / Massachusetts Institute of Technology	MIT Daedalus Project.
MIT Daedalus 88		USA	1988		Drela / Massachusetts Institute of Technology	MIT Daedalus Project. 1988 Crete to Santorini flight, official FAI world records for total distance (119 km), straight-line distance, and duration (3 h 55 min) for human-powered aircraft.
MIT Monarch A		USA	1983		Mark Drela / Massachusetts Institute of Technology	29 flights.
MIT Monarch B		USA	1984		Drela / Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Won the £20,000 first prize for the Kremer World Speed Competition.
Möwe6-B		Japan	1989		Nihon University Aero Student Group (NASG)	First Japanese record set under the FAI rules. Distance: 3.708 km (Mar. 1990)
Möwe20		Japan	2002		Nihon University Aero Student Group (NASG)	The 27th Japan International Birdman Rally (JIBR) HPA section won, 34.654 km. Pilot was not exhausted but took water by organizer direction because the HPA reached end of flyable area (southwest side of Lake Biwa) (Jul. 2003) – straight-distance record in JIBR. Japanese record set under the FAI rules. 11.874 km / 46 min 40 s (Aug. 2004). Piloted by Kai Hirawata.
Möwe21		Japan	2003		Nihon University Aero Student Group (NASG)	Japanese records set under the FAI rules. 49.172 km, 1 h 48 min 12 s (6 Aug. 2005). Current Japanese records. Piloted by Nariyuki Masuda.
Mozi HPA		China	2009		OXAI Aircraft Company / Mao Yiqing
Musculair I		Germany	1984		Günther Rochelt & Schoberl	Two different prizes; first passenger.
Musculair II		Germany	1985		Günther Rochelt & Schoberl	Kremer Speed Prize.
Nakamura MP-X-6		Japan	1969		Eiji Nakamura	[17]
Nextz [ja]		Japan	2009		Team 'F'	Winner of 33rd Japan International Birdman Rally HPA time-trial section. First Japanese record of speed under the FAI rules: 1500 m in 3 min 15 s = 27.69 km/h (22 Oct. 2012). As of 2012[update] current Japanese record.
Nieuport Aviette 1921		France	1921
Northrop Institute of Technology HPA		USA	1972		Malcolm Smith / NIT	Two-seater; not completed.
Onigkeit 1938		Germany	1938		Otto Onigkeit	Flugzeug-Typenbuch. Handbuch der deutschen Luftfahrt- und Zubehör-Industrie 1944[18]
Pedaliante		Italy	1936		Enea Bossi & Vittorio Bonomi	40 unaided flights?
Pelargos 2		Switzerland	1983		Horlacher/Mohlin/Dubs	1100 yards.
Pelargos 3		Switzerland	1985		Horlacher/Mohlin/Frank	875 yards.
Perkins Inflatable HPA		USA	1959	Inflatable	Daniel Perkins	Precursor to the Reluctant Phoenix.
Perkins Reluctant Phoenix		UK	1966	Inflatable	Daniel Perkins	The culmination of Daniel Perkins' attempts to build a viable inflatable human-powered aircraft; flown inside the R100 airship hangars.
Phillips Mk.1 HPA		UK	1976 ?		Ron Phillips	First female pilot.
Phillips Mk.2 HPA		UK	1976 ?		Ron Phillips	Two-seater.
Polniak LP Dedal		Poland	1972		Leon Polniak
Polniak LP Dedal-2		Poland	1975		Leon Polniak
Posniak HPA		Netherlands	1936		B. Posniak
Poulain/Farman Aviette		France	1921		Gabriel Poulain / Farman
Prestwick Dragonfly MPA Mk 1		Scotland	1975		Roger Hardy
Privett HPA		USA			Doug Privett	Cannot take off without a ground-crew assist[12]
PSU Zephyrus		USA	2011		Pennsylvania State University
Raven Project		USA	2001		Paul Illian
Ray		Japan	2008		Tohoku University Windnauts (HPA club at Tohoku University)	Winner of 32nd Japan International Birdman Rally (JIBR) HPA – distance section. 36 km round-trip; completed out-and-return course of 18 km one-way (longest distance under the rules at the time). Piloted by Wataru Nishiwaki; round-trip distance record in JIBR until 2017.[3]
Rickman umbrella wing		UK	1909		Rickman
Royal Spoonbill		UK	1983		Robert Le Johnno-Johnson / NZHPFG	Never completed due to a redesign after being vandalised.[citation needed]
Seehase MD-2		Germany	1937		Hans Seehase
Singapore University Man powered Aircraft 1 Singapore University Man powered Aircraft 2		Singapore			Singapore University students / Keith Sherwin	Of the two projects, only one flew.
Smolkowski-Laviolette biplane		Canada	1964		Alvin Smolkowski and Maurice Laviolette	Towed flights
Sato Maeda SM-OX		Japan	1969		Hiroshi Sato, Kenichi Maeda / Fukuoka Daiichi Highschool Department of Aeroengine	31 yards, height 6 feet.
Snowbird HPO		Canada	2010		University of Toronto
Stewart HPOs		UK	1959	Ornithopter	Alan Stewart	Several unsuccessful human-powered ornithopters built between 1959 and 1979.
Stork A [ja]		Japan	1976		Junji Ishii [ja] / Nihon University	651 yards. Re-designed (smaller) from the UK Jupiter.[11]
Stork B [ja]		Japan	1977		Junji Ishii [ja] / Nihon University	2094 m, 4 min 28 s flight.[11]
SUMPAC		UK	1961		Ann Marsden, Alan Lassiere & David Williams / Southampton University Man-powered Aircraft Committee	First independently observed unaided flight. Flown by Derek Piggott.
Swift A		Japan			Naito / Nihon University
Swift B		Japan			Naito / Nihon University
To Phoenix		UK	1981	Inflatable	Frederick E. To / Air-Plane Co. Ltd.[19]
Toucan 1		UK	1972		Pressnell / Hertfordshire Pedal Aeronauts	700 yards. Two-seater, span 123 ft. Bryan Bowen & Derek May[20]
Toucan II		UK	1974		Pressnell / Hertfordshire Pedal Aeronauts
Upturn		USA	2012	Helicopter	NTS Works Upturn	duration 10 s, height 0.60 m
Upenieks Oscillocopter		Australia	1970s	Ornithopter	Harijs Upenieks	Series of 3 aircraft
Ursinus 1925 HPA		Germany	1925		Oskar Ursinus
Vélair 89		Germany	1989		Peer Frank	3390 yards
Vine HPA		South Africa	1962		S. W. Vine	200 yards. One flight only at Krugersdorp, Transvaal, South Africa.
VMM HPA		Belgium	1974		Verstralte/Masschelin/Masschelin	Heights of 15 ft at Calais-Marck airport due to Belgian authorities refusing permission to fly.[21]
White Dwarf (dirigible)		USA	1984	Airship	Bill Watson	Built for the comedian Gallagher and seen in Showtime special Over Your Head. Set records in airship categories BA-1 through BA-10 for distance (93.36 km)[22] and duration (8 h 50 min 12 s).[23][24]
Wright Micron		UK	1976		Peter Wright
Wright MPA Mk 1		UK	1972		Peter Wright	300 yards at 4 feet. Elevator not used.
Yuri I HPH [ja]		Japan	1994	Helicopter	Akira Naito, Nihon Aero Student Group (NASG)	Duration 19.5 s, height 0.2 m
Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft		Germany	1934		Engelbert Zaschka
Zephyrus β		Japan	1997		Ochanomizu Human-powered aircraft study group	Japanese female record set under the FAI rules, 1.004 km in 3 min 3 s. (16 Nov. 1997). Piloted by Chihiro Muraoka – current Japanese female records.
Zinno Olympian ZB-1		USA	1976		Lt.Col. Joe Zinno, USAF (Ret.)	First successful American HPA.

See also

• History of human-powered aircraft