What If We, "Mankind", Could Fly Just Like a Bird?

Check out Paul MacReady's "Gossamer Albatross."

The difficulty is that flight surfaces depend on area, whereas weight depends on volume. For larger organisms, weight thus goes up faster than area, requiring large auxiliary airfoil surfaces. The "Gossamer Albatross" had quite a wingspan.

Googling "human powered flight" might tell of more recent advances.

This vision has been with us for a long time, and many sharp minds have worked on it. There seems to have been no lack of vision, motivation, or effort on this.

That's totally impossible! How could you ever text and fly at the same time?

As Tornado has stated, we're too fat to fly, without the help of high tech materials. At that point, we are not, "flying just like a bird".

Bumble Bees fly and they are too fat! Even fatter than us.

Donkey flew in Shreck...Well he did have the benefit of fairy dust so that probably doesn't count because it's really hard to get fairy dust any more...

Let me work on this,we'll be off the ground in no time!

Well my friend, as fast as the phone biz is changing it won't be a problem by then! :)

The simple problem is physics. We lack the power to weight ratio to make it happen.

There would need to be some form of power augmentation to make it happen.

i totally agree with you dear and augmenting power means using external source as well for energy supply without that it would be impossible.

I agree but only on a small scale, nothing like batteries and motors though... I guess I will have to bring it to one of the upcoming Flugtag events!

What about the Pterodactyl? Their weight far exceeded ours? Their wings weren't anything like a bird's. Again, I say it is all in the design, yes with a tiny bit of help but not much at all...

My guess is that the muscle mass of the Pterodactyl is probably much, much higher than the best humans.

Unfortunately, I just have too much on my plate right now, but I am confident I could produce the math to show that we simply lack the energy output to perform powered flight.

The closest thing I can think of is soaring, which uses either ridge lift air currents or thermal currents of rising air to keep aloft. It is possible, with the right equipment, to stay aloft for many, many hours. World record flights have exceeded 2,200 km, and altitudes of up to 49,000 feet MSL.

What if we, "mankind", could fly just like a bird?

For starters, we'd have a lot bigger messes to clean off our cars' windscreens. Not sure most wipers could handle it, frankly.

The ancient Greek Icarus did this, but he flew too close to the sun and his wings melted,I'm not sure if it's been attempted since.

Genetically modify a human to grow wings, big wings and the muscle structure to control them. Would also help in this genetic change to reduce bone mass. Maybe make our bones little hollow tubes. Atrophy of at least our legs don't need to be that big. Won't be doing much walking around. Don't need to carry the additional weight. What else, increase our metabolism it takes a lot of energy flap wings that fast. Stream line the body so there is less restriction in flight, maybe a beak it would help stream line the body. Grow a tail with feathers for fight control.

Hmm after all this is done would what we created be mankind? Think it would be best to just use a plane. I like me just as I'm.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO WITH MY WIFES 27 PIECES OF LUGGAGE. Damn right I aint gonna carry that!!!!!

Great start ... keep up the out-of-the-box thinking.

Read Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Very inspiring

why wouldn't it be possible?

As others have explained, basic physics and power to weight ratio limitations keep us firmly on the ground when it comes to self-powered bird-like flight.

Glide yes, flap wings attached to our arms, no.

Well, I see there are plenty of very good points and some funny one's as well! I have thought of problems and I do understand the thought of it all does sound impossible, however, I still believe it is possible with the correct design. I believe it has been "over-thought" and counted out prematurely. Now just to be clear I am not thinking of the cartoon version of a wing strapped to your arm and some feathers hooked along side and you just flap away, there is more to it. I could see this suit as a sport sort of like hang gliding except you don't just glide, you do in fact fly. Thanks for all the input everyone!!! I really do appreciate all of them!