Soaring With Birds

Throughout the ages, many have ignored the advice give to Icarus by his father....

not to fly too close to the sun.


Today, with the gliders such as the Ultralight, we are coming closer to soaring with the birds.

Many early efforts at flight began with the mistaken assumption that with a few minor adjustments, man could float on air just as the birds did.

Leonardo de Vinci's exhaustive study of the bird's physiology led to a greater understanding of the mechanics of flight, as well as to the design of his ornithopters.
Whether simply donning a pair of wings, or constructing a complex machine, the early efforts to fly ended in failure for most aviators, and in death for some.

For some, the prospect of a flying machine represented an innocent form of entertainment, while for others, it meant a new and more destructive means for conducting war.

Despite the fears and anxieties over manned flight, the quest for the sky continued.

The dream that one day a human would soar with the birds would not die.