This Day 80 Years Ago: Flight Pioneer Otfried Koycher

Otfried Koycher, a young German engineer, in early 1934 had found out that the carbon dioxide inside the human lungs developed pressure like the one in a sodastream cylinder, if only concentrated by intense breathing. The gained energy, so properly conducted, was enough to make special rolls violently spin. This would create a Magnus effect, being able to lift weights even more than the one of an average human body and thus gain the chance for human-powered flight. Following these considerations, Koycher created a special flying apparatus. One spring morning, he made a spectacular effort to prove his discoveries. A reporting team of Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung was on the scene too. From what then happened they created the article I have scanned for you:

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For you I translated the text into English language.

First successfull human-powered flight! Young aircraft technician Otfried Koycher keeps himself in the air for nearly 42 seconds!

Icarus’ dream came true by means of most modern technology: The first human who flew using the physical strength of his own body.

Young aircraft technician Otfried Koycher with his self-constructed, lung-powered rotor aircraft. The carbonic acide (CO2), which is kept in the lung’s alveoli, is used as fuel for a small engine, which delivers enough energy to elevatorily run the two extremely sensitive rotors, which act as airfoils.

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There is still the first light of dawn laying over the Staaken exercise field, when a small, exquisite band is gathering to witness a turning point in the still young history of flying. After a short while of tense expectation Otfried Koycher, the inventor of lung-powered rotor flight, appears on the airfield. Without inconvenient preparation, Koycher approaches his rotors, which shimmer silver-white in the morning light, with a few grips he has fixed the stunningly simple apparatus to his body. He is standing on his landing skis… a moment of extreme tension… a little sight of strain in the facial features of the young inventor… and there is already a tiny span between earth and skis. The distance extends fast: the first human flies on his own power! After 42 seconds he lands on earth, beaming from happiness.

Text strip over two pages:

A picture sequence important for the history of flight: The four crucial phases of the first human flight by the physical strength of the own body.

(picture upper right side)

Before the takeoff of the First human flight: The inventor of the rotor aircraft, Otfried Koycher, is accompanied by his helping team to the take-off site.

(picture lower left side)

The moment before the rise: Otfried Koycher has fixed the shoulder straps of the flight rotors and clipped the skis under his feet. By intense puffs of breath, he starts up the motor.

(picture lower right side)

The miracle of elevation: For the first time a human rose into the air by his own power. The elevator is an air rudder, operated by moves of the hips.

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(upper picture)

The first successfull human flight: For 41.7 seconds, Otfried Koycher keeps himself in the air by the strength of his own body. The ingenious young inventor reached a height of 12 m and covered a distance of 68 m in the air.

(following text completely translated above)

(picture lower left side)

A difficult air maneuver: The transition from rise to descent. The elevator is turned slowly, the gasps become more seldom, the flying man comes down.

(picture lower right side)

Luckily landed: Our reporter is the first whom Otfried Koycher tells his great air adventure: “These were heavenly fourty seconds…”

End of translation.

This all happened on 1 April 1934. The newspaper article dates from 31 March 1934 (so-called premature reporting).

Regards, RT