Codex Atlanticus

CA f. 934r: Drawing of mechanical wing

The sheet bears one of Leonardo’s studies on the flying machine, with precise instructions on how the wing works and the movements required to the pilot. The wing is composed of several segments, in order to make it more flexible, and the operator can move it with a coordinated movement of the foot, which stretches the string of the wing downwards, and of the hand, which guides the handlebar.