World's smallest helicopter to fly at da Vinci's birthplace

TOKYO (AP/yomiuri) -- A Japanese man who developed the world's smallest helicopter will take flight in the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci in tribute to the Renaissance genius' original idea.

Gennai Yanagisawa, 75, said Thursday that a demonstration flight of his one-man helicopter is planned in the city of Vinci, near Florence, Italy, on May 25.

Yanagisawa developed the GEN H-4 helicopter - with rotors, a chair, footrest and handle bar - in the late 1990s.

"The concept of my helicopter comes from Italy, and I've always wanted to fly it in da Vinci's birthplace," Yanagisawa told The Associated Press from Japan's central city of Matsumoto, where he runs an electronics equipment company. "I'm very excited." full story