Perhaps the best-known human-powered plane is the Gossamer Albatross, which flew across the English Channel in 1979.
The Gossamer Albatross was a human-powered aircraft built by American aeronautical engineer Dr. Paul B. MacCready's AeroVironment.
In 1979 it completed a successful crossing of the English Channel to win the second Kremer prize.
On June 12, 1979. Bryan Allen, a 26-year-old American, pedaled the 70-pound Gossamer Albatross 22 miles across the English Channel.
He took off from Folkestone in England, and flew to Cape Gris-Nez in France, in 2 hours, 49 minutes.
He won, (together with the designer, Paul MacCready), the £100,000 prize offered by British industrialist Henry Kremer for the first manpowered flight across the English Channel.
Source: Wikipedia & Answers.com
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