Enrico Forlanini

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Enrico Forlanini (December 13, 1848 - October 9, 1930) was an Italian engineer, inventor and aeronautical pioneer, well known for his works on helicopters, aircraft, hydrofoils and dirigibles. He was born in Milan. His older brother Carlo Forlanini was a famous Italian physician (1847-1918).

In 1877 he developed an early helicopter powered by a steam engine. It was the first of its type that rose to a height of 13 meters, where it remained for some 20 seconds, after a vertical take-off from a park in Milan.

Later he designed and build a series of dirigibles, notably, in 1909, the Leonardo da Vinci that he dedicated to the famous Renaissance inventor and, in 1912, the Città di Milano, dedicated to his beloved home town. The latter showed exceptionally good characteristics of stability and controllability that won Forlanini international renown.

He is also known for his hydrofoils that he started modelling since 1898. One of those, built at full scale, used a ladder system of foils and a 60 hp engine driving two counter-rotating air props. During testing on Lake Maggiore in 1906, this craft reached a top speed of 42.5 mph.

Forlanini obtained a number of British and American patents on his ideas and designs, most of which were aimed at seaplane applications.

He died at the age of 82 years while still working on the design of a new flying machine with the same passion and ardor of his early years.

Milan has dedicated to him its city airport, also named Linate Airport, as well as the nearby park.