Japanese students build unconventional ‘flying cycle’ aircraft propelled by pedaling
- This flying cycle aircraft was created and flown by Japanese students in 2019
- The pedal-powered aircraft was named Tsurugi
- It recorded a flight distance of 19 km (11 mi)
Published on Mar 04, 2024 at 9:32 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Mar 04, 2024 at 9:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Adam Gray
This human-powered flying cycle aircraft was created and flown by Japanese students in 2019.
It was created by Fusha Sakai, an active member of Japan’s Osaka Public University’s student-led Sakai Windmill Association.
The pedal-powered aircraft was named Tsurugi (つるぎ) by the team that is dedicated to constructing and flying human-powered airplanes.
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The video posted to the group’s YouTube channel captures a test flight at a retired runway at Nanki Shirahama Airport by Sakai WindMill Club.
The pilot was under training and although according to the video his “skill was not good at this time” – it’s still an impressive feat.
In fact, he recorded a flight distance of 19 km (11 mi) in the Yomiuri Television Birdman Rally on the bike-like aircraft.
And cycles just keep getting weirder, like this ‘Ringbot’ monocycle robot that rolls around and balances on two legs.
What’s more, this wheelless Frankenbike runs on tracks – and it actually works.
While filmed several years ago, the footage is proof that the dreams of individual human flight are getting closer to becoming a reality.
The Sakai Windmill Association is committed to pushing the boundaries of human-powered flight.
The club designs, manufactures, and pilots its aircraft, competing in the Birdman Contest to set impressive records.
Since their debut in 1994, they have participated in over 20 flights, winning six times across two categories.
Tsurugi is a flying cycle with pedals, wings and a large rotating fan that pushes the boundaries of imaginative engineering.
Since it was posted almost five years ago, the video has been viewed almost 2 million times.
Many in the comments section were supportive of their efforts.
“It looks like the first flight of the Wright brothers, but over 100 year later and without a mechanical engine. Very impressive,” one said.
While others seemed concerned about the fatigue caused by the continuous pedaling required.
“Keeping up the power seems very difficult after the 30 second mark, impressive feat to achieve!” they commented.
And with the dawn of flying cars finally upon us it seems the sky is quite literally the limit.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
