The flying bicycle

Inspired by the Wright brothers, the inventors of aeroplane, and eying to make traffic jam a thing of the past, two Brits have created a bicycle which they hope to become a mainstream form of transport in the future.
Comprising an ungainly mix of a bike with wings, a fan, a motor and a parachute, the invention, known as a Paravelo, can reach 4,000ft and speeds of up to 25mph.
On the ground, the Paravelo is an ordinary two-wheeled bike -- albeit one that is towing a trailer with a large biofuel-powered fan. But with a bit of space to act as a runway, the trailer can be docked with the bike to transform it into a flying machine capable of running for three hours on a full tank of fuel.
To take off, an electric motor powered by this bio-fuel is used to start up another electronic motor. This motor then powers the fans that lift the paravelo off the ground.
Its creators, John Fordon, 37, and Yannick Read, 42, said they were inspired by cycling in their childhood when creating the Paravelo, which costs £10,000.
'We were enchanted by the connection between cycling and the birth of powered flight – the Wright brothers were former bicycle mechanics -- so we designed the Paravelo to recapture that pioneering era,' said Fordon.
They believe their creation will revolutionise the way people travel to work. It is ideal for commuting as it can be folded away in a compact space, such as an office, they add.
With a built-in tent, Paravelo is perfect for festival-goers too.
They also claim that no licence is needed to fly it and that it costs about the same as a small family car to run.
The Paravelo's development was supported by the Environmental Transport Association. The charity's director, Andrew Davis, said: 'For generations the car has been king, but it could now play second fiddle to the flying bicycle.'
'If you have a thirst for adventure, but are without a storage space or bank balance large enough for a helicopter, then the paravelo is for you,' said Read, the co-inventor.