 Japanese students at the Institute of Technology in Tokyo running to keep up with what is claimed to be the world's first dry cell, battery powered plane. Powered flight with one passenger requires at least 240 Watts of input power. In this example (2006) 160 AA Panasonic Oxyride batteries power this 31 meter wing-span, 100 kg, styrofoam and carbon fiber plane, 400 meters with one passenger. |
| Flying with pedal power is more demanding than running a marathon, and the plane seldom survives the first landing. The power requirement has prevented the sport from catching on. |