Submission + - Human-Powered Helicopter Breaks World Record (umd.edu)
An anonymous reader writes: The University of Maryland just announced that its human-powered Gamera helicopter recently broke the national record for longest human-powered flight while simultaneously setting the world record for the longest human-powered flight by a woman. Student Judy Wexler lifted the Gamera off the ground for a full 12 seconds — the previous national record was only four seconds. The pilot manually powers the hand and foot pedals to force Gamera into flight. Constructed from balsa wood, foam, mylar and carbon fiber, the machine itself weighs in at only 210 pounds.