Solar Plane To Make Public Debut 76
Posted
by
kdawson
from the blackbird-flying-in-the-dead-of-night dept.
from the blackbird-flying-in-the-dead-of-night dept.
vigmeister writes "Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard has unveiled a prototype of the solar-powered plane he hopes eventually to fly around the world. The initial version, spanning 61m but weighing just 1,500kg, will undergo trials to prove it can fly at night. Dr. Piccard, who made history by circling the globe non-stop in a balloon in 1999, says he wants to demonstrate the potential of renewable energies. He expects to make a crossing of the Atlantic in 2012. The HB-SIA has the look of a glider but is on the scale of a modern airliner. The airplane incorporates composite materials to keep it extremely light and uses super-efficient solar cells, batteries, motors, and propellers to get it through the dark hours. The public unveiling on Friday of the HB-SIA took place at Dubendorf airfield near Zürich."
Making it so... (Score:4, Funny)
Don't take the red-eye! (Score:3, Funny)
The battery thing for dark hours makes me nervous.
Re:They solved the night flying problem nicely (Score:3, Funny)
Ah, the heat from the lamps causes the air to rise, providing upward suction on the wings. Brilliant!