MacCready Solar Challenger
| Solar Challenger | |
|---|---|
| A drawing of the Solar Challenger | |
| General information | |
| Type | Experimental aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | AeroVironment |
| Designer | |
| Status | Museum piece |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | 6 November 1980 |
| Developed from | Gossamer Penguin |
The Solar Challenger was a solar-powered aircraft designed by Paul MacCready's AeroVironment. The aircraft was designed as an improvement on the Gossamer Penguin, which in turn was a solar-powered variant of the human-powered Gossamer Albatross. It was powered entirely by the photovoltaic cells on its wing and stabilizer, without even reserve batteries, and was the first such craft capable of long-distance flight. In 1981, it successfully completed a 163-mile (262 km) demonstration flight from France to England.