Aircraft - Aviation - Balloons - Helicopters
Jul. 08, 1981 - The Sun plane shimmers in from France: The first solar-powered crossing of the Channel was triumphently completed yesterday. The blazing sun helped the American built Solar Challenger, powered by 16, 000 solar cells, to fly the 180 miles from Cormeilles-en-Vexin, near Paris, to Raf Manston in Kent in five hours 25 minutes. The pilot, Stephen Ptacek, 28, from Colorado, enjoyed a perfect flight in the Ultra-light plane. The Solar Challenger reached a hight of 12, 0000 ft over France and cruised along at 37 mph. The aircraft was designed by Dr. Paul MacCready, maker of the Gossamer Albatross, which in 1979 won the ?100, 000 prize for the first man powered flight across the channel. Photo shows Pilot Steve Ptacek gives a wave as Solar Challenger is about to land at RAF Manston yesterday after the world's first ever solar powered flight
