Goodbye Paul MacCready

[billvon 3,131]

Paul MacCready, the father of human-powered flight, died in his sleep yesterday. He will always be remembered as the person that proved that man can fly under his own power, although he contributed a great deal more than that to aviation.

[Muenkel 0]

Today is the 10th Anniversary of Princess Diana's death. How could you use such a sacred day, to notify us of the death of a pioneer in aviation's history?

Sometimes Bill, you just don't use your brain.

_________________________________________
Chris

[NickDG 23]

I remember in 1979 when the Gossamer Albatross he designed made it across the English Channel. The pilot peddled his ass off, but he made it.

Here's a vid of his earlier design, the Gossamar Condor . . .

All of this was a big hit with jumpers of the time.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5575752383553477337&q=Gossamer+albatross&total=4&start=0&num=100&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

NickD BASE 194

[kallend 2,175]

Quote

I remember in 1979 when the Gossamer Albatross he designed made it across the English Channel. The pilot peddled his ass off, but he made it.

Here's a vid of his earlier design, the Gossamar Condor . . .

All of this was a big hit with jumpers of the time.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5575752383553477337&q=Gossamer+albatross&total=4&start=0&num=100&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

NickD BASE 194

You can see the Gossamer Condor at the NASM in Washington DC.

clicky

It is incredible.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[cocheese 0]

We saw the documentary in school soon after that. I remember it well. Very cool/rare flight.