Solar Impulse takes to the air-first plane designed to fly night and day without fossil fuels

[The Straight Story]

Solar Impulse takes to the air (update)

Solar impulse lifts off the ground for its first flight in Payerne, Switzerland 7 April 2010

Update 13:05 Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The weather was beautiful, the mood upbeat – and the plane flew, just as everyone was hoping it would. Solar Impulse, the first plane designed to fly night and day without fossil fuels, slowly climbed 1,200 metres into the air Wednesday 7 April at 10:27 and flew for the next 87 minutes before pilot Markus Scherdel landed it again in Payerne.
solar_impulse_2_maiden_flight

”This first flight was for me a very intense moment!” Scherdel told the crowd that had gathered, as he got down from the aircraft.

Scherdel spent the hour and a half familiarizing himself with the prototype’s flight behaviour and performing initial flight exercises. “The execution of these various maneuvers (turns, simulating the approach phase) was designed to get a feel for the aircraft and verify its controllability,” the Solar Impulse team noted in a press release. “Despite its immense size and feather weight, the aircraft’s controllability matches our expectations,” an excited Scherdel said.



http://genevalunch.com/blog/2010/04/07/solar-impulse-takes-to-the-air/

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. That is just way cool! Thanks for posting!

[Itchinjim]

2. How long before it is loaded up with missles and used as drone?

Not very, I'll bet.

[MajorChode]

3. I've been followng this for a while now

Although I'd love it if they did, I just don't think they are going to get around the world in this thing. However, that doesn't diminish the wonder of this amazing aircraft.