Watch the “Gossamer Albatross” the first human-powered plane crossing the English Channel in 1979
On June 12, 1979, the Gossamer Albatross became the first human-powered plane to cross the English Channel. This video shows the plane on its way from England to France, accompanied by engineers and paramedics ready to rescue the pilot if he were to crash.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Learn more about the six basic types of simple machines.
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© SpaceX/Reuters; music © Ian Post/Artlist.ioSpaceX's Starship V3 megarocket launched on May 22, 2026.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Learn about mining and refining copper from the Atacama Desert, northern Chile.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Four forces play an essential role when an airplane takes flight.
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© The University of Newcastle, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment with thanks to Jeremy Ley and Nick Parker from Light Creative (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Learn how engineers solve practical problems in the world, such as how to build airplanes, skyscrapers, and suspension bridges.
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© MinutePhysics (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Gravity, air molecules, an airplane's wings, engines—all of these factors, and more, perform a complex dance involving lift, thrust, drag, and gravity that enables an airplane to fly.
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NASA/Dryden Research Aircraft Movie CollectionA U.S. Air Force C-17 taking off from Palmdale, California, c. 2003.
