Images Dated 20th March 1972

Pedal Power Takes A Nosedive: It was great while it lasted

Pedal Power Takes A Nosedive: It was great while it lasted. But the flight of Britain's latest man-powered aircraft ended rather abruptly on Sunday (19-3-72). The plane, grandly named Jupiter, came down to earth with a crash after being caught by a gust of wind at the Royal Air Force station at Benson, Oxfordshire. But for the pilot, 28-year-old Flight Lieutenant John Potter, it had been more than a more flight of fancy. The bicycle-driven plane, which has an 80-ft wingspan, had stayed aloft for 44-seconds and flown a creditable 500-yards, spurred on by his energetic pedalling. Flight Lieutenant Potter stepped unhurt from a tangle of broken balsa wood and plastic foil. All is not lost, however. The plane, built with the help of R.A.F. apprentices, will be ready to fly again in a couple of weeks. And they have their sights firmly set on the £10,000 prize being offered for a 1,760-yard flight over a figure-of-eight course. Pilot John Potter takes his place at the bicycle controls of Jupiter before setting off on his maiden flight. March 1972 P001013

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