Elenco Aerial Screw - Manual (Page 8)

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Da Vinci’s Concept: Aerial Screw
The Aerial Screw designed by Leonardo da Vinci
was an early precursor to the principle of the
modern day helicopter. The device, designed to
compress air in order to obtain flight, measured more
than 15 feet in diameter and was made from reed,
linen and wire. The machine called for a four-man
team to stand on a base and employ a pumping action
to spin the rotary blade in order to lift the device off
the ground. In Da Vinci’s time, the technology needed
to create a modern day flying aircraft had not yet been
invented, but his concept of rotary wing aviation had
unquestionably been conceived.