| | Manta Pterodactyl Fledgling |
 | | The pilot of a powered Fledge had to hoist his entire machine and madly run down a slope to get airborne. |
 | | To create the Fledgling, he added a 'fuselage' to the Fledge made of aluminum tubes and fitted it with a seat, a tricycle undercarriage with large-diameter wheels, and a motor with enough power for rolling takeoffs. |
 | | he transformation from the Fledge hang glider to the powered Fledgling ultralight broke new ground and Pterodactyl had to promote the Fledgling as "NFL," not foot-launchable to distinguish it from the throngs of powered hang gliders. |
| www.nasm.si.edu /research/aero/aircraft/pterodactyl_fledgling.htm (670 words) |