Sci Tech
Solar Powered Plane Begins Coast To Coast Flight
The Solar Impulse plane sets off from San Francisco in the early morning hours May 3. The solar-powered plane is set to land in Phoenix very early Saturday and later make stops in four other cities.
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology has built a solar-powered plane that can fly during both day and night. The plane, called “The Solar Impulse“, is a single passenger airplane with the wingspan of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a Toyota Prius. The plane is the brain child of André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard who claim the plane can make the cross country flight in a single non-stop journey. However, because “The Solar Impulse” can only travel at speeds of 40 to 50 mph the entire trip will take several days.
The plane also does not have an auto-pilot feature yet. Therefore, the trip will be divided up into five legs to allow the pilot to get adequate rest. “The Solar Impulse” has four engines which are battery driven from solar panels fixed to the plane. It flies entirely on solar power. The cross country trip will make history as the first of its kind.
In all honesty, the plane resembles an enlarged model airplane and travels at the speeds not much faster, but it still represents an important advancement in alternative fuel technology.
The plane was built using carbon fiber to reduce its weight and can maintain altitudes of 29,000 feet while in flight.
For pilot Bertrand Piccard Solar Impulse’s goal is to expand the frontier of what’s possible in aviation technology, proving that solar power can be a viable means of energy even when the sun’s not shining.
“We’ve been dreaming about crossing the United States for years — the land of scientific research, innovation and aviation pioneers – and it’s hard to believe it’s really happening,” said Borschberg and Piccard in a statement emailed to reporters. “We are thrilled to have safely and successfully completed this first leg and we weren’t alone: thousands of names of our supporters virtually accompanied us. With them, we launched the ‘Clean Generation’ initiative promoting clean technologies.”
Will you watch Solar Impulse attempt its record-setting flight? Share your thoughts in the comments.
The Solar Impulse’s full schedule is listed below — it could be changed due to weather, operational issues or other unforeseen events.
May 3rd 2013: First leg, San Francisco/Moffett Airfield – Phoenix/Sky Harbor
Mid May 2013: Second leg, Phoenix/Sky Harbor – Dallas/Fort Worth
End May – Early June 2013: Third leg, Dallas/Fort Worth – St. Louis/Lambert Airport
Mid June 2013: Fourth leg, St. Louis/Lambert Airport – Washington DC/Dulles
Early July 2013: Fifth and last leg, Washington DC/Dulles – New York/JFK
On The Web:
Solar-Powered Plane To Make Cross-U.S. Flight
http://news.discovery.com/tech/alternative-power-sources/solar-powered-plane-cross-us-flight-130304.htm
Solar-Powered Plane Completes First Leg of Coast-to-Coast Journey
http://mashable.com/2013/05/04/solar-impulse-first-leg/