Pedal Plane

Pedal Plane

Ultralight pedal-powered aircraft... the way of the future?

I was thinking... I don't know if this has been invented... Bicycle plane. Pedal, a high-geared prop spins rapidly, the bike accelerates, takes off. What I want to know, before I begin welding, how wide should the wingspan be for easiest takeoff without exceeding two highway lanes wide? Made from aluminum, for it's lightness. How fast do you think it will go? Lastly, how can I protect myself from the wind, etc.?
One more- If it hasn't been invented, what should I call it?
So how big should the wingspan be?
What I want to build is really minimalistic. Just some wings welded to a bike with a high geared prop on the front that is powered by pedal.
Like I have repeated, over and over, HIGH GEARED PROP. You can pedal 1 rotation and the prop goes 20 rotations, get it?

It has been invented.

Several years ago someone made a small pedal aircraft. It was basically a super light glider with a very small cockpit area that housed a bicycle that was used to power the prop. I'm sure you could find lots of information on it, It crossed the English Channel in the mid 90's, I want to say 97 but I'm really not too sure on that.

It took many different models before they found one that worked, and once they found one that worked it took an elite cyclist to power it. You have to consider, most people can't generate much more than 1/3 of a horse power, thats nothing! A small remote control airplane engine can do that, and do it as long as it has fuel. We get tired and have to slow down. If it takes every once of strength of a world class cyclist has to power an airplane that is super light and has no room for so much as a small radio, much less a bag of groceries, how would it ever be a valid form of transportation for the masses?

Its a great idea, don't let me take away from your idea! and you can do it, if it were made entirely out of carbon fiber, titanium, and other super light materials it could be done. Maybe you could use a small, light weight engine to supplement your leg power. That will be expensive, but it has worked so it can work again. As for the way of the future, I just don't see it happening.

*EDIT* I realize how a high gear ratio will help you some, but look at riding a normal bicycle. If you put it in the highest gear you have doesn't it take a lot of effort to pedal? I don't know about you, but for me I almost never use the highest gear on my bike just because there are more efficient gears that better suit the speed I want to go, with the strength I have in my legs. Higher gear ratios are not the answer. A lower gear ratio with a more aggressive prop would probably do more good. Thats a trial and error thing. But I can assure you that the two aircraft aviophage spoke of used gears to achieve an optimal prop rpm. If you have access to super light weight materials and the tools needed to make a wing, and either you are, or you know someone who is a world class cyclist then you can do it! But its not something the average person can do.