First, look up flphg on youtube. These are foot launched powered hang gliders. Now, imagine a carbon fiber jointed skeleton mock up of a birds wings affixed to a fiberglass or other material harness. Use a closed loop control system to change camber and extension of the wing with your arms, and attach a keel to the harness actuacted by movements of the legs which are 4 times as strong as arms to flex the wings. Finally, look up thin film solar photovoltaics and find that they are made of mylar which is what hanggliders are made of.
Considering that the average glider has about 260’ of area, it just might produce the 17 horsepower needed to power a glider. If not moment by moment, then a battery could be used for peak load and then you could soar on thermals using no energy while charging. This is my dream anyway, at the moment. I’m even excited that a tandem glider can handle up to 500lbs, this means you could take luggage along. cheers.. 5 years ago

I’ve had good and bad dreams about this. But there are plans to do the good ones in March (or May, I can’t remember which one right now). 6 years ago

I’m trying to be more realistic and meaningful. In realising accepting that I will never truly fly like a bird, by the use of feathery or other-y like wings, I’ve decided to change focus and dedicate this goal to finding the closest sensation to flying like a bird.

So, I’m giving up on skydive and paraglide and moving their focus here. 6 years ago

...into paragliding. I like the idea of following birds to and through thermals. Maybe I should watch le Peuple Migrateur again for more inspiration. 6 years ago

...in the park across from my office building. Now, people can say what they like about pigeons, but I couldn’t help watching them fly through the air over my head. I started to think there could be worse things to be reincarnated as…at least I could fly. 6 years ago

...I think the closest we can come to flying is skydiving. Ok, you’re not flying, you’re falling. But that’s just semantics when you’re looking for a sensation. Jumping out of a plane, rocketing towards the ground and telling yourself you’re a bird doing a dive bomb could work. 7 years ago

I just watched The Fanstastic 4 last night, and thought of being able to fly came to me like The Tourch. I bet most people dream or have dreamed of being able to do this. I’m looking for the same sensation of freedom from skydiving. 7 years ago