The US awarder announced on Friday that a Canadian-built helicopter that is powered by a human riding a bicycle has become the first winner of a decades-old US$250,000 engineering prize. To move further, the American Helicopter Society (AHS) had never given out its Igor Sikorsky Human-Powered Helicopter Award which was initiated 33 years ago until the team from the University of Toronto suddenly grasped it in present week.

AHS International executive director Mike Hirschberg expressed saying AFP that the challenge was to invent a flying machine that would be able to reach a height of 3m, fly for 60 seconds with the use of human power alone, as well as stay in a 10m by 10m area. The challenge was long seen as utterly impracticable to gain victory in this.

Image Source:  American Helicopter Society

(AW:Samrat Biswas)