Ornithopters resemble birds in that they flap their wings but are otherwise unlike birds and like conventional planes. In order to save space and be more whimsical, they should fold their wings and alight on vertically-oriented tree like structures, tilting their bodies upward like birds. The seats inside should be able to swivel around according to the orientation of the aircraft so that the passengers themselves to alight. This would also enable VTOL in small spaces such as in the centres of cities rather than having to have airports outside cities taking up a lot of space.

This also means London could have a load of extra "runways" without needing to annoy people in Hounslow.
-- nineteenthly, Aug 02 2015

http://i2.kym-cdn.c.../308/xjobz5hofa.jpg [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 03 2015]

// without needing to annoy people in Hounslow. //

There are actual real people in Hounslow ? Sheesh, who knew ?
-- 8th of 7, Aug 02 2015


Yes, I'm married to one of them. For now.
-- nineteenthly, Aug 02 2015


That must be terribly inconvenient. Where do you meet?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 02 2015


She is no longer a denizen of West London. Instead, she occupies this conservatory.
-- nineteenthly, Aug 03 2015


I'm not sure that two people pedaling will be enough...
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 03 2015


One person needs 2 pedals. You are thinking of a quad-copter.
-- pocmloc, Aug 03 2015


Yes, I get them confused sometimes, like that one time I thought a sex-ithopter was going to be a three person flying machine... but it totally wasn't.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 03 2015


Ah, the sexithopter! Beloved of thopterphiles.
-- nineteenthly, Aug 03 2015



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