Tells the story of the historic flight of the Gossamer Albatross, a spindly, feather-light craft which on June 12, 1979 became the first human-powered aircraft to cross the English Channel. Recent 100th anniversary of manned flight has heightened interest in the basics of flight. Author Grosser covers the history of human-powered flight including the various unsuccessful efforts in Europe (Italy, Germany, and France) following World War I as well as programs in England and Japan following World War II. The development and flight of the first successful human-powered aircraft, the Gossamer Condor, is covered in great detail. Grosser, who was a member of both of the Gassamer teams, provides an expert account that is fully accessible to the layperson and demonstrates how the channel crossing was an incredibly challenging undertaking despite the earlier success of the Condor. The Gossamer Albatross's human-powered flight from England to France across the Channel was a trumph of both man and machine.About the AuthorMorton Grosser is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S. and M.S.) and Stanford Universtiy (Ph.D.). Author of seven books and numerous technical papers, his writing has also been published in The New Yorker, Harper's, and The Atlantic. Dr. Grosser is a management and technology consultant based in Menlo Park, California.