An aircraft powered only by solar energy took its inaugural flight Monday morning in Switzerland. With a wingspan as larger as a 747, the designers intend for the Solar Impulse 2’s single pilot to circumnavigate the globe next year.
Read about it here
gas2.org
Great climate change story.
http://gizmodo.com/how-obamas-power-plant-regulations-will-transform-our-e-1584803513
Cute gimmick but all its load carrying capacity is maxed out by the pilot and the batteries. No commercial value with solar powered aircraft. Unless AlGore invents some miracle fuel, we will be burning petroleum, or chemicals.
I’m trying to think how long it may take before we can adapt this to jet fighters.
Where did that photo come from? Inaugural flight in Switzerland? I don’t think so. That location is overlooking the Golden Gate towards the ESE and the San Francisco Bay Bridge to Oakland. 100% certain.
If this was done with private money I think this is great. If US tax dollars went into it I don’t like it at all.
Great. Let’s take the red eye tonight.
@Uncle Al I suspect that is Solar Impulse I which flew coast to coast across the U.S.A. They look similar to each other but SI 2 is larger.
Thanks, Dr. Tar. That makes sense. I just knew that sure as heck wasn’t Switzerland!