- Kiceniuk Icarus I
The Kiceniuk Icarus I was a revolutionary
hang glider designed, built and flown byTaras Kiceniuk, Jr. in the early 1970s.At a time when most hang gliders used a flexible
Rogallo wing , Icarus I used a rigidflying wing biplane configuration. Unlike other hang gliders of the time, the Icarus was not steered by the pilot shifting his body weight. Instead, Icarus I had two large rudders mounted near the wing tips, controlled by hand levers. These rudders made Icarus I much more maneuverable than other hang gliders. Pitch was controlled by the pilot shifting his body weight fore and aft. The pilot flew in a reclining position, rather than the prone position used by other hang gliders.Icarus I is now at the
Smithsonian Institution awaiting restoration and display.pecifications
*Crew: one, pilot
*Passengers: none
*Length: 5.94 m (19 ft 6 in) (see talk page)
*Wingspan: 9.17 m (30 ft 1 in)
*Height: 1 m (3 ft 3 in)
*Empty: 24.5 kg (54 lb)Related content
*Designation sequence: Icarus I - Icarus II - Icarus V
External links
* [http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/icarus.htm Icarus I at the National Air & Space Museum]
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