Kiceniuk Icarus I
The Kiceniuk Icarus I was an revolutionary hang glider designed, built and flown by Taras Kiceniuk, Jr. in the early 1970s.
At a time when most hang gliders used a flexible Rogallo wing, Icarus I used a rigid flying wing biplane configuration. Unlike other hang gliders of the time, the Icarus was not steered by the pilot shifting his body weight. Instead, Icarus I had two large rudders mounted near the wing tips, controlled by hand levers. These rudders made Icarus I much more maneuverable than other hang gliders. Pitch was controlled by the pilot shifting his body weight fore and aft. The pilot flew in a reclining position, rather than the prone position used by other hang gliders.
Icarus I is now at the Smithsonian Institute awaiting restoration and display.
Specifications
- Crew: one, pilot
- Passengers: none
- Length: 5.94 m (19 ft 6 in) (see talk page)
- Wingspan: 9.17 m (30 ft 1 in)
- Height: 1 m (3 ft)
- Empty: 24.5 kg (54 lb)