The Flying Machine
When Leonardo da Vinci invented the Flying
Machine, he intended it to be used by just one person at a time.
The aviator would lie in the wooden framework, in order to work the wings.
The two moveable wings were attached by pulleys and stirrups. The
pilot of the Flying Machine would pull on the wings simultaneously in order
to create lift. Once in the air, theoretically, the pilot would simply
shift his body weight in order to turn the machine. This invention
went hand-in-hand with da Vinci's Parachute. Even though that this
invention never got off the ground, it was a steady foundation for many
other models of flying machines. The Wright brothers are probably
thankful for da Vinci's invention, because without it, we may not have
the types of airplanes, jets, and helicopters that we do today.