Inspiration for My Ornithopter {by R}

On Sunday I met a guy when hiking to the top of Garrapata. He was carrying a wooden glider made mainly of foam and balsa wood, but was reinforced with fiberglass and carbon fiber.

It had two servos sticking out of the wing to control it. The guy made it himself. He said its best to experience making it from scratch instead of getting a kit.

He launched it with a surgical tube sling shot, then he controlled it with a remote, gliding along the currents blowing up the side of the hill. He likes to follow the turkey vultures flying on the wind currents because the vultures rarely flap their wings. Instead they rely on the upwards currents that he needs to fly his glider. 

This has inspired me to make my own flying machine, an ornithopter. I'll post photos  of my creation later. For now, here are a few more photos of his glider. It's not named yet!