American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

Gossamer Albatross (Exhibition)
birth: 1981 March 4
death: 1981 May31
Exhibition. Opened in March 4, 1981 and closed May 31, 1981. Located in Section 12 in the Roosevelt Hall at the American Museum of Natural History. The "Gossamer Albatross," the lightweight airplane that made the world's longest, controlled human-powered flight when it was pedaled across the English Channel in 1979, was on display.
Summary
The "Gossamer Albatross," the lightweight airplane that made the world's longest, controlled human-powered flight when it was pedaled across the English Channel in 1979, was on display. The pilot was Bryan Allen, a bicycle racer from California. The plane was designed by Paul MacCready, a California aerospace scientist. The airplane, and a video-tape of the flight itself, was on view in the Roosevelt Hall of the American Museum of Natural History from March 4 through May 31, 1981.