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1981: Inventor Builds Solar-Powered Plane, Flies It across English Channel

Paul MacCready builds the first solar-powered aircraft, which he calls the Solar Challenger. To prove its viability, he flies it from France to England across the English Channel. The aircraft is powered by over 16,000 solar cells mounted on its wings, which produce 3,000 watts of power. [US Department of Energy, 2002 pdf file]