Around the world in a solar-powered plane

Around the world in a solar-powered plane A Swiss adventurer said his first flight using a prototype of a solar-powered plane he will try to fly around the world in was successful.

The short, low altitude flight at a Swiss airfield Thursday proved the prototype can fly, said adventurer Bertrand Piccard, pilot of the first hot-air balloon to fly nonstop around the world.

"It was absolutely great to see this plane in the air," Piccard told The Associated Press. "It's a completely new flight domain. There has never been an airplane so big and so light flying with so little energy."

The "Solar Impulse," which has a wingspan of a Boeing 747 but weighs less than a small car, flew 1,150 feet (350 meters) at just one meter above the ground, Piccard said.

"The goal was not to make a big flight, but to see if this airplane is behaving the way the engineers designed it," he said. "And the result was excellent.

"On the other hand, we see how long the road is still before we fly around the world with it," Piccard said.

Solar panels will be attached next year for the first flight at night powered by solar energy, followed by a series of other tests, he said.

Piccard and co-pilot Andre Borschberg will alternate in the cockpit when they try to take the plane around the world in 2012.

Piccard set a world record in 1999 when he and Brian Jones of Britain took their balloon, Breitling Orbiter III, on a 20-day circumnavigation of the globe — an achievement that had eluded many before them, including tycoons Steve Fossett and Richard Branson.

 

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- Posted on December 4, 2009
Submitted by Dbuckley02 on Thursday, 11/17/2011 - 14:39.

I think thats amazing that he would make a solar powered plane.The best part he flew around the world.Were did he get the idea of doing this?

Submitted by joe418 on Tuesday, 05/31/2011 - 21:59.

Wow i bet that saves a lot of energy and it flew one meter above the ground that long but i do not think that it can fly at night

Submitted by kn22 on Wednesday, 03/30/2011 - 12:49.

WOW! That's an amazing plane! Solar panels could actually cut two problems in half. The first problem to cut is the fact that it doesn't emit toxic air pollution from an exhaust pipe. The second one is that it would stop people from taking off and stopping at an airport that's not even in the range of the destination to refuel. This is yet another technological breakthrough that mankind has created. But I have two questions that I would like to ask: #1 How many people does it sit? #2 Could people be able to turn this model into a passenger plane for airports? Either way, this is a very cool plane.

Submitted by austink21 on Friday, 03/25/2011 - 08:40.

The shape of the plane would have to be big enough to support the solar plane and trying not to let the power run out so pretty much you might make it.

Submitted by bengal7 on Thursday, 03/17/2011 - 16:04.

That would be really risky to fly around the world that low because they could run into things in the dark and it's a long flight and he is using a solar powred plane so it wouldn't hurt the invirement when they go on the long flight and also the animaks wouldn't breath in the carbon-dioxide. They must have tested it a lot to make sure it would work as they wanted to.

Submitted by jake5th hour on Thursday, 03/10/2011 - 13:22.

that sounds so cool. I want to see it when it flies. the solar impulse has a wingspan of a 747 and it's really light, but can only fly 1 meter above ground so thats kinda bad . they are going to make adjustments to it so it can fly around the world. I wonder how it would be to ride in it?

Submitted by angelicam147 on Wednesday, 03/02/2011 - 16:13.

I think having a solar power plain is so cool. its very good for the environment we don't use gas or oil. instead they use the sun. i wonder how do you make the plain solar powered? i wish i could ride in plane. it would be amazing if we change more things to be solar powered.

Submitted by 0526 on Monday, 02/14/2011 - 15:09.

I think that the solar powered plane is so cool because that way planes don't use Gas and doesn't pollute the air. Also someone can fly all around the world without running out of fuel and not worry about a thing. Also you can fly any where you want now that's cool

Submitted by PeterCLikesPickles on Friday, 02/04/2011 - 13:42.

WOW! That's an amazing plane! Solar panels could actually cut two problems in half. The first problem to cut is the fact that it doesn't emit toxic air pollution from an exhaust pipe. The second one is that it would stop people from taking off and stopping at an airport that's not even in the range of the destination to refuel. This is yet another technological breakthrough that mankind has created. But I have two questions that I would like to ask: #1 How many people does it sit? #2 Could people be able to turn this model into a passenger plane for airports? Either way, this is a very cool plane.

Submitted by Danielw966 on Thursday, 02/03/2011 - 09:29.

I can see how that is good for the environment but what if the sun is blocked out by a cloud and all the power is used up too quickly while a few thousand feet up in the air.that is just bad news.