Solar Impulse Makes First Test Flight | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.29.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.23.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.24.24 Airborne-FltTraining-04.25.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.26.24

Thu, Apr 08, 2010

Solar Impulse Makes First Test Flight

Swiss Group Hopes To Circumnavigate On Power From The Sun

The Solar Impulse, an aircraft being developed by a Swiss group for an attempted flight around the world only on solar power, completed its first test flight Wednesday at a military air base in Western Switzerland.

The airplane, powered solely by four 10 horsepower electric motors, climbed to an altitude of about 3,600 feet before returning to land at after a flight of 87 minutes.

The plane that flew Wednesday was a prototype. The Associated Press reports that project co-founder Andre Borschgerg said that additional tests would be conducted to refine the airplane for the round-the-world attempt, and that construction on that airplane would begin next year.

“This summer, we want to show that we can fly night and day. This will happen in Payerne. Hopefully in May, June or July,” he added.

Artists Concept

The aircraft's wings are covered with about 12 thousand solar cells to provide power to its batteries, which weigh almost 900 pounds. The five-stage circumnavigation attempt is planned in 2013.

FMI: www.solarimpulse.com

Advertisement

More News

Unfortunate... ANN/SportPlane Resource Guide Adds To Cautionary Advisories

The Industry Continues to be Rocked By Some Questionable Operations Recent investigations and a great deal of data has resulted in ANN’s SportPlane Resource Guide’s rep>[...]

ANN FAQ: Turn On Post Notifications

Make Sure You NEVER Miss A New Story From Aero-News Network Do you ever feel like you never see posts from a certain person or page on Facebook or Instagram? Here’s how you c>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.29.24): Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)

Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) An airport lighting facility providing vertical visual approach slope guidance to aircraft during approach to landing by radiating a directio>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.28.24): Airport Marking Aids

Airport Marking Aids Markings used on runway and taxiway surfaces to identify a specific runway, a runway threshold, a centerline, a hold line, etc. A runway should be marked in ac>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.28.24)

Aero Linx: The Skyhawk Association The Skyhawk Association is a non-profit organization founded by former Skyhawk Pilots which is open to anyone with an affinity for the A-4 Skyhaw>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC