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Building An Ornithopter, Canada
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Canadians have constructed An ornithopter (from Greek ornithos "bird" and pteron "wing"). It is is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. Designers seek to imitate the flapping-wing flight birds, bats, and insects. Though machines may differ in form, they are usually built on the same scale as these flying creatures. Manned ornithopters have also been built, and some have been successful. The machines are two general types: those with engines, and those powered by the muscles the pilot.
The idea constructing wings in order to resemble the flight birds dates to the ancient Greek legend Daedalus (Greek demigod engineer) and Icarus (Daedalus's son). The Chinese Book Han records that Xin Dynasty Emperor Wang Mang oversaw the earliest ornithopter flight test in 19 CE.
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