Photograph from Corbis
Who needs jet fuel when you have a pair of powerful legs? That's the maxim demonstrated by a long line of engineers and athletic pilots who have pushed the limits of human-powered transportation by land, air, and sea. Pictured here is the Gossamer Albatross, which in 1979 became the first human-powered aircraft to cross the English Channel.
Sponsored by DuPont, inventor Paul MacCready built the lightweight craft from carbon fiber tubing, balsa wood, clear Mylar, and Kevlar, with the addition of some wire and foam. He engineered a series of human- and solar-powered aircraft between 1959 and 1980, and in 1971 he founded AeroVironment-a company today known for its unmanned aircraft systems and charging equipment for electric cars.
The 22.5-mile (36.2 kilometer) Albatross flight lasted just under three hours--about an hour longer than anticipated. And Bryan Allen, the long-distance cyclist who powered the 70-pound Albatross through that grueling journey over water despite leg cramps and dehydration, later told AeroVironment, "There were so many unknowns on that flight that I could not be certain we'd make it, but I was certain I'd use every resource in trying."
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