Gamera Human-Powered Helicopter's 65-Second Flight Certified as World Record by FAI
The Gamera human-powered helicopter team, comprised of students from the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering, have officially had their August 28, 2012 flight certified as a world record of 65.1 seconds by The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), also known as The World Air Sports Federation.
Pilot Colin Gore, a materials science and engineering graduate student at the Clark School, was in the cockpit for the flight. The flight was accomplished in a revamped Gamera II vehicle.
With their flight in August, the Gamera team had also unofficially satisfied two of the three American Helicopter Society Sikorsky Prize competition requirements with their 65.1-second flight, staying within a 10 square meter area and hovering at two feet of altitude.
To win the Sikorsky Prize, the team must also achieve a height of 3 meters during a flight of at least 60 seconds that stays within the prescribed 10 square meter area. The Gamera team will continue their work toward meeting the competition requirements by increasing the altitude of their flight.
