Yves Rousseau

Yves Rousseau is a French inventor and aviator credited with multiple ultralight aircraft FAI world records. He has received international recognition for his 13 years of work on human-powered ornithopter flight. Rousseau attempted his first human-powered flight with flapping wings in 1995.

In 2005, Rousseau was given the Paul Tissandier Diploma, awarded to those who have served the cause of aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular, by their work, initiative, devotion or in other ways. After having made oscillate the wings of a hang glider, Yves mounted his patented flapping mechanism on a 'Vector' ultralight airplane and on 20 April 2006, at his 212th attempt, he succeeded in flying a distance of 64 metres, observed by officials of the Aero Club de France. Unfortunately, on his 213th flight attempt, a gust of wind led to a wing breaking up, causing the pilot to be gravely injured and rendered paraplegic.

Rousseau patented a few ultralight aircraft, including the wheeled prone ultralights Pulcim 220, the Pulcim 521 and a foot-launched powered hang glider harness called Relax 220.

World records + FAI powered microlight world records by Rousseau Place Date Aircraft Class Record France 22 October 1989 Tecma – Colt Ascender RWL1 Distance straight line & limited fuel: 397 km (247 mi) France 16 July 1989 Tecma – Colt Ascender RWL1 Distance closed circuit & limited fuel: 213 km (132 mi) France 18 July 1992 Medium Ropuleim RWF1 Altitude above sea level: 5230 m (17,159 ft) France 18 July 1992 Medium Ropuleim RWF1 Climb time to 3000 m: 24 min (410 ft/min = 2.08 m/s)