Last month marked the 30 year anniversary of the first human-powered flight across the english channel.

On June 12, 1979 pilot Bryan Allen pedaled the Gossamer Albatross from Kent across the English Channel to the French coastline.  The flight took 2 hours and 49 minutes and Bryan had to pedal steadily the entire time.  The Albartross was designed by Paul MacCready, a pioneering designer, who had earlier built the first fully capable human powered flying machine, the Gossamer Condor.  In 1971, he founded AeroVironment Inc. of Monrovia.  His vision was to "do more with much less."

His team pioneered incredible groundbreaking vehicles such as
-The Solar Challenger: A solar-powered flying machine which set a record in 1981 for the highest, farthest, longest solar powered manned flight
-The Sunraycer: built in 1987 for the 1,950 mile World Solar Challenge road race across Australia, which it not only won, but completed the course 2 days before the second place winner.  (A new speed record was set for Solar Powered land vehicles in 1988 when the Sunraycer exceeded  75 mph)
-The GM Impact: The first electric car, built in 1981
from www.avinc.com

Now what I am wondering is this: If 30 YEARS AGO we knew how to make solar and human powered cars and planes, why isn't it the common form of transportation today??? Why are we still so dependent on gasoline???
Thanks a lot, gas companies! 

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