That's
right, the men and women over at Solar Impulse have created a solar
powered airplane that flies both during the day and at night. So far,
they have completed the first solar powered intercontinental flight,
with plans for an around the world flight next year. We have found
the Charles Lindburgh's of the new millennium. This isn't just about
a cool plane though, these folks are doing this, “for the world of
exploration and innovation to contribute to the cause of renewable
energies, to demonstrate the importance of clean technologies for
sustainable development”.
Some
interesting facts about the plane (code-named HB-SIB after its
predecessor HB-SIA) from the Solar Impulse site:
- Maximum temperature: 130°C
- Maximum RPM: 525 (attained at high altitude when air pressure is low)
- Propeller diameter: 4 meters (HB-SIA’s propellers are currently 3,5m)
- Motor power will be twice as powerful than HB-SIA’s, but speed will remain the same due to the aircraft’s weight
- Testing sequences were defined by studying all flight scenarios experienced by HB-SIA
Did
I mention that it does all of this, with a pilot? Some may not think
this is a big deal, however, manning an aircraft that has no fuel
source other than the sun is not only a major accomplishment in
aeronautics, it was probably one of the scariest first flights of all
time.
The
around the world flight date has not yet been announced, but they
have begun giving details, for example, the flight is expected to
take 1000 flight hours (that's 41 2/3 days), the motor is designed to
go for twice that long, in other words, this plane has changed the
phrase to “around the world twice in 80 days”. Truly an amazing
step forward in the world of green technologies.
For
more info visit their site: www.solarimpulse.com
