Video: Solar Impulse First Flight

December 4th, 2009 admin

Following up on the news of the first flight of the Solar Impulse , we now have video of the short hop down the runway in Switzerland. Bertrand Piccard, the man behind the Solar Impulse program said on the team’s website that the flight might not look like much, but he believes it is an entry into a totally new and unchartered domain of flight. “Never before – in the whole history of aviation – has an aircraft so big, so light and consuming so little energy actually flown.” Piccard, who is an accomplished aviator and along with co-pilot Brian Jones, was the first to make an around the world balloon flight, reaffirmed plans for high altitude flights in the spring from the team’s new home in Payerne in western Switzerland. After initial…


Originally posted on Wired

 
  Related Posts
Video: First Runway Test For Solar Powered Plane
Video: First Runway Test For Solar Powered Plane
After a flurry of activity over the past several weeks , the Solar Impulse team have finally taken their first steps towards solar flight. The prototype of the aircraft designed to be the first to fly around the world powered only by the sun, has completed the first taxi tests down the runway at its home airport in Switzerland. With the four electric... 
Round-the-World Solar Powered Plane Revs Its Motors
Round-the-World Solar Powered Plane Revs Its Motors
The Solar Impulse, a prototype aircraft being developed as part of a project to fly around the world on solar power , successfully underwent its first engine run up today in Switzerland. After waiting for calm winds and favorable weather, the team rolled the delicate aircraft out of the hangar Friday. Just before noon local time, test pilot Markus... 
Captain Piccard’s Solar Powered Plane Flies, Kinda [Planelopnik]
Captain Piccard’s Solar Powered Plane Flies, Kinda [Planelopnik]
Captain Bertrand Piccard’s photovoltaic-powered plane ” Solar Impulse ” flew 1,148ft yesterday in Switzerland at three-foot altitudes. The 262-foot wingspan plane weighs 4,409lbs and has been under construction since 2003. The caveat? They were flying with battery-power assistance. Gallery below [ Gizmodo ]  Read More →
Japanese Solar Racer Wins Race in the Sun
Japanese Solar Racer Wins Race in the Sun
A Japanese team has won the World Solar Challenge, racing across the Australian outback an an average speed of 63 mph to wrest the title from a Dutch team that’s dominated the past four races. Tokai Challenger from Tokai University crossed the finish line in Adelaide, South Australia, 29 hours and 49 minutes after leaving the northern city... 
Don’t-Miss Video: Incredible Look At U.S. Airways Flight 1549
Don’t-Miss Video: Incredible Look At U.S. Airways Flight 1549
We’ve seen a lot of simulations of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 going into the Hudson River, but a new video painstakingly compiled by an engineer offers the most comprehensive and compelling look yet at the airliner’s short but incredible flight. When the plane went down in January, it didn’t take long before the Internet was flush... 
KLM Claims First Biofuel Airline Passenger Flight
KLM Claims First Biofuel Airline Passenger Flight
Dutch airline KLM has made the latest step in what appears to be a rush by airlines to demonstrate the use of alternative fuels. The airline made what it is calling the first passenger flight using biofuel. KLM completed the flight with one of its Boeing 747s using a 50 percent biokerosene mix to fuel one of the airplane’s four engines. On board... 
Prefab Solar-EV Charging Station Sprouts in Silicon Valley
Prefab Solar-EV Charging Station Sprouts in Silicon Valley
A pre-engineered solar panel has popped up on the streets of San Jose, California, ready to charge any EV with instant, sustainable power. The installation marks the first time SunPods’ SP-300 EV Plug-N-Go portable charging station for solar-electric cars has been put to a real-world test. Aside from needing an electrician to make the electrical... 
First Fuel Cell Helicopter Completes Successful Flight
First Fuel Cell Helicopter Completes Successful Flight
The latest step in fuel cell flight has taken to the skies with the world’s first hydrogen helicopter flew for more than 20 minutes. The technology demonstrator developed by United Technologies Corp. features a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. There’s one small catch — the helicopter has a rotor diameter of two meters. The... 
Prefab Solar EV Charging Station Sprouts in San Jose
Prefab Solar EV Charging Station Sprouts in San Jose
A pre-engineered solar panel has popped up on the streets of San Jose, ready to charge any waiting EVs with instant, sustainable power. The installation in San Jose marks the first time that SunPods’ SP-300 EV Plug-N-Go portable solar EV charging station has been put to the test. Aside from an electrician who is only needed to make electrical... 
Two Boeing 787 Flights Expected This Month
Two Boeing 787 Flights Expected This Month
In what seems to be a flurry of first flight news at the end of 2009, the one everybody has been waiting for is back on the schedule. Boeing is expected to try for an initial first flight of the all new 787 Dreamliner in two weeks. And in an unexpected move, the rumor is swirling around the Seattle area that a second 787 will make its first flight... 
  Related Tweets from Twitter
seanp33 (Sean Monaghan)  : Air travel is wack http://myloc.me/4GZDm..
Updated : 2010-03-11T17:34:47Z   |  Reply  |  View Tweet
CMELEAD (Candice Nicholson)  : Airlines Threaten to Cancel Flights: The threats could foreshadow significant changes in air travel, making it ev... http://bit.ly/bMFs05..
Updated : 2010-03-11T17:31:13Z   |  Reply  |  View Tweet
ItcTours (Israeltourconnection)  : Spring is in the air! Do you feel it? Its time to mak eyour summer travel plans! Call us @ 1-800-247-7235 http://bit.ly/9D6jY0..
Updated : 2010-03-11T17:28:30Z   |  Reply  |  View Tweet
Celsius1414 (Celsius1414)  : #jawohl RT @TreeHugger: Are Zeppelins the Future of Air Travel? http://digg.com/d31LCVn..
Updated : 2010-03-11T17:28:16Z   |  Reply  |  View Tweet
BookImageTours (Image Tours, Inc.)  : A May 16-day Heart Of British Isles Tour with AUS air saved travelers $100 when booked with River City Travel..
Updated : 2010-03-11T17:25:43Z   |  Reply  |  View Tweet
  Related News from Digg
No comments yet.
TOP