Flying like a bird – a dream that has inspired people’s creative minds for centuries

This dream of independent flight led R. J. Spalding to develop a “Flying Machine” patented in 1889. His machine was intended to be worn like a wingsuit, letting the user move the wings and tail with their arms and legs.

Despite the overhead balloon designed to make the user lighter, the main problem of the flying machine remained weight, so sadly Spalding never managed take off with his machine.