| Histoire résumée | I would like to draw your attention to an often overlooked achievement of human-powered flight: The 1st American to do so was Joe Zinno in 1976 at Quonset Point, RI. Joe, along with his brother Clarence, designed, funded out of their own pockets, and built in donated hangar space (or in Clarence's case, who designed and built the reciprocating-pedal drive train, in his own suburban-Orlando home's two-car garage) the N1ZB Olympian (ZB for "Zinno Brothers"). Joe Zinno took on initial piloting responsibilities and got the Olympian about a foot off the ground for about 80FT at 8:16AM on April 21, 1976.
Credit for the first human-powered flight in the United States is therefore given to Joseph Zinno, retired from the U.S. Air Force, for his 77-foot flight in 1976 in Olympian ZB-1, which he had designed, built, and flown.
Lt.Col. Joe Zinno, USAF (Ret.) || First controlled flight in Americas [Bernhard C. F. Klein, USA, millpab=aol.com, 05.07.2008 This pedalpowered "aircraft" was designed and built by Lt.Col. Zinno, USAF (Ret.) On his fourth try on April 21, 1976, at Quonset Point, RI., Joe Zinno barely got off the ground for a few seconds. The machine was damaged in a hangar by a gust of wind, coming in throgh the open door. |
