世界最小單人直升機將試飛

Theworld's smallest one-man helicopter will soon take flight in the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, who is credited with having first thought of a vertical-flight machine, its developer said.

The 75-kilogram helicopter will make a demonstration flight in the city of Vinci, near Florence, on May 25, according to Japanese developer Gennai Yanagisawa, 75.

"Since the concept of our helicopter came from Italy, I always wanted to take a flight in the birthplace of da Vinci," Yanagisawa said.

"I feel like I'm greeting an ancestor. I hope da Vinci would be pleased," Yanagisawa told reporters.

Yanagisawa said he went to Vinci in February and received the blessing of Mayor Dario Parrini.

The helicopter, named GEN H-4, has a set of two rotors turning in opposite directions and can fly at a maximum speed of 50 kilometres (31 miles) per hour.

Guinness World Records in February recognized it as the world's smallest helicopter that can carry a person.

Renaissance genius da Vinci was born in Vinci in 1452 and spent the first several years of his life there.

His sketch, dated in 1493 and discovered in the 19th century, shows a vertical flight machine. As in the drawing, the GEN H-4 has no tail.

Yanagisawa runs a company in Matsumoto, north of Tokyo, selling the helicopter. He has sold five units in Japan and two to US customers.

The current model is priced at six million yen (58,250 dollars).

據研發者介紹，世界上最小的單人直升飛機不久將在達·芬奇的出生地試飛。達·芬奇被認爲是提出直升飛行器想法的第一人。

據75歲的日本研發者平賀柳澤介紹，這架重75公斤的直升機將於本月25日在佛羅倫薩附近的達芬奇市進行試飛。

他說：“因爲直升機的理念源自意大利，所以我一直想在達·芬奇的出生地飛一次。”

他在接受記者採訪時說：“我覺得自己在問候一位祖先。我希望達·芬奇（如有在天之靈）也能感到欣慰。”

平賀柳澤說，他於今年2月前往達芬奇市，得到了市長達里奧•帕里尼的支持。

這架代號爲GEN H-4的直升機有兩個向相反方向旋轉的旋翼，最高飛行速度可達每小時50公里。

《吉尼斯世界紀錄》於今年2月認定它爲世界上最小的單人直升機。

文藝復興時期的天才人物達·芬奇於1452年出生於達芬奇市，並在這裏度過了他人生的最初幾年。

達·芬奇創作於1493年的一幅直升飛機的素描於19世紀被發現。GEN H-4直升機與這幅素描中的直升機一樣，也沒有尾翼。

平賀柳澤在位於東京以北的松本市經營一家專售這種直升機的公司。目前他已在日本國內售出五架，並向美國顧客售出兩架。

目前這種直升機的售價爲600萬日元（58250美元）。