BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — On Saturday, people celebrated the 47th anniversary of the world’s first controlled human-powered flight that took off right here in Kern County at the Shafter Airport.
Those behind the flight of the Gossamer Condor met at Hodel’s Restaurant Aug. 24 to celebrate the historic achievement and see for the first time, rare footage of the flight of the Condor. The fundraiser also had the people behind the subsequent flight of the Gossamer Albatross and the first solar-powered flight of the Solar Challenger.
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One expert at Hodel’s Freedom Hall share what it means to see the rare footage first-hand.
“A lady came to us in about November, and said that her dad took pictures of it the day that it flew on his Super 8 camera,” said Ronald Pierce, Board Chairman of Minter Air Field Museum. “It had never been shown to the public before. She gave us permission to use it, and there it went from that to this.”
There were flight videos, silent auctions and a 50/50 drawing including a special guest appearance by KGET-17’s Jim Scott.