A man powered aeroplane, the brainchild David Barford has finally took off on its maiden flight from Sywell. Barford built this aeroplane in his spare time spent the past eight years working on this project and was happy that his efforts finally paid off. What began as a hobby became his obsession as the concept of a man powered aeroplane entered Barford's mind when he was just seven years old.
Barford is not an innovator or dreamer of like minded projects. He is a full time builder of engines for Formula 1 cars belonging to Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher while he has spent his spare time in the creation of the man powered aeroplane which is powered solely by the pilot who pedals it like a bicycle. The man powered plant is aptly called Betterfly. It is built of ultra light carbon fiber while flight controls are made out of fishing wire so as to ensure lightest possible weight. The maiden flight lasted just 18 seconds at a speed of 17 mph.
Barford is equally successful in his work at the Mercedes Bens High Performance Engine factory in Bixworth where he works on engines for Formula 1 drivers. Betterfly will now be entered in the national competition for human powered flying machines called Royal Aeronautical Society's Icarus Cup which will take place from July 13 to 23rd 2013 where Barford's plane will compete against other man powered flying machines.
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