Must have been done already, but can’t find anything.

How can anyone possibly think this is genuine!? As soon as he takes off it looks like some poor CGI attempt, not that theres much “ilming of the flight itself. Seems to have duped TheRegister and numerous other sites as well though!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/weirdnewsvideo/9157973/Dutch-engineer-flies-using-custom-built-human-bird-wings-in-viral-video.html

Hoax for sure.

read an article saying none of his ‘cv’/linked in credentials re: previous employment and education are true either – looks like a hoax.

I can’t believe its authenticity is even open for discussion.

Reminds me of this

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=mLgDcq_VL-4#t=39s[/video]

Somebody needs to have a word with him about his helmet strap.

Wired has a good analysis of whether the video is fake or not:

Wired – Analysis of the human birdwings

Personally I think it’s a big fat fake.

Can’t say I noticed any obvious CGI, but it still doesn’t look quite right- things aren’t really moving or behaving the way you’d think they would for the forces that would be involved if he was actually flying. That, some odd cuts or shots away and back or with people standing in front of things at crucial points makes me think it’s probably not real.

Apparently this is perfectly possible with modern technology but people are questioning it due to the quality of the video and the guys cv.

Do you mean the fact that everything on his CV is a lie? Like the fact that he’s never worked for the engineering company listed on his CV, nor has he ever attended the university listed on his CV.

Add to all his lies the small issue of his video footage being of dubious quality and you can see why people think it’s a fake can’t you?

Of course its a fake – pedal powered flight is really marginal and legs are so much stronger than arms – the whole thing screams fake – the wings are not big enough, arms cannot produce enough power, the flap rate is all wrong – just nonsense

Apparently he used parts from wii-motes and motors to get enough power to flap the wings 🙄

The wings dont show any load either….look at the way the trailing edges are flapping around as well….the climb rate looks really steep….etc etc etc

Some pilots have noted what I thought as well http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/03/man-flaps-his-own-wings-to-fly-like-a-bird/

Some engineers have taken issue with what they said though.

what TJ said

The Dutch ‘birdman’ admits that it’s all been a big hoax, eight months in the making!

Clicky