Fastest human-powered aircraft

What to remember

With no engine and no fuel, Holger Rochelt flew the Musculair 2 at 44.32 km/h (27.54 mph) on 2 October 1985, the fastest flight by a human-powered aircraft, where the pilot's own effort drives the machine.

Airspeed records follow rules set by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which also ratifies every claim. Aircraft are split into classes (landplanes, seaplanes and amphibians), then into weight categories and engine types: piston, turbojet, turboprop or rocket. Within each group, records exist for speed over a straight course and over closed circuits of various sizes.