Vinathi Prasad

Mrs. Seader
Science
April, 29, 2011

Leonardo da Vinci and His Flying Machines

Leonardo da Vinci was a remarkable man who lived during the 16th century. He was known for his paintings,
such as The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and he was known for being an astronomer, sculptor, geologist,
mathematician, botanist, animal behaviorist, engineer, architect, musician, and inventor. We still use some of
his inventions today, such as the scissors, machine gun, and automobile car (which was powered by spring).
However, his most known inventions are in flight. They are the glider, helicopter, and parachute.
Da Vinci’s glider was the first machine that was capable of flight. He studied birds and their wings to come
up with a suitable model. It did not fly, but if it had, it would have led to a big boom in the development of
aircrafts, as well as make him richer than Michelangelo. The wing was designed with resin cotton, and the
frame was made with bamboo shoots.
Da Vinci’s invention of the helical airscrew, or helicopter, wasn’t original. The Chinese used a similar
principle of the spinning lift for centuries. He used his knowledge of bird anatomy to make another flying
machine for humans to travel in. His prototype was made of hollow reeds and starched linen to make the
wing stiff and light as possible. He hoped that it would create enough force to make the spiral turn and the
helicopter would spin through the air like a corkscrew. It did not work because the shaft couldn’t produce
enough power to have the turning effect.
Sebastian Lenormand was credited with the first practical parachute in 1783, but da Vinci came up with the
idea many years earlier. Instead of using the rounded canopy, he used a triangular one thinking that it would
have enough air resistance to float. The parachute was to be made of linen covering a wood frame. Da Vinci
never built or tested this parachute, but in 2000, Adrian Nichols tested this using Da Vinci’s blueprints and
said that it worked as intended and had a smoother ride than a normal parachute.
Leonardo da Vinci’s journal entries, blueprints, sketches, and widespread imagination influenced many
inventors’ successful inventions that changed our lives. The glider led to the invention of the first airplanes
by the Wright brothers. Da Vinci was truly an amazing man who contributed greatly to the technology our
generation takes for granted today.

Bibliography
1. Anderson, Maxine. Amazing Leonardo da Vinci inventions you can build yourself. Norwich, Vt.: Nomad
Press, 2006. Print.
2. "Leonardo Da Vinci Paintings, Inventions and his complete Biography!" Leonardo Da Vinci Paintings,
Inventions and his complete Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.leonardo-da-vinci-
biography.com/>.
3. "Leonardo da Vinci's Parachute Invention." The Inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci. InventHelp, n.d. Web.
24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.da-vinci-inventions.com/parachute.aspx>.