solar impulse

[Phil999]

solar impulse is a project to fly around the world with an airplane using no fuel at all, except solar power. Watch the press conference of last november including the sponsors and supporters from (among others) Deutsche Bank, Swatch/Omega, Dassault Systèmes:

http://www.solarimpulse.com/en/hbsia/index...&idIndex=19

You might also take a look at Bertrand Piccard's website, the first man - together with aeronaut Brian Jones - to travel around the world with a balloon in 1999:

http://www.bertrandpiccard.com/eng/index.php

There is also a very interesting 1-hour interview on NZZ (German language only): enter http://www.nzz.ch, scroll down until you see a blue square on the right side with the letters "NZZ Standpunkte". Click on it, and a flash media player will open.

[Easy Skanking]

I would swear that I've seen this done already. It was a really long winged craft made of foam and I think it was with a sit-down type of bike seat.
Maybe that one was solar and bike powered. Can't remember for sure...

[Phil999]

yes, solar powered planes are not new. The new thing with this one is that they plan to cross oceans, flying day and night. They need to charge the batteries during day (while maintaining speed and height) for the night flight period. That is completely new. But it's not the adventure or the new world record they are focussed on. It is the paradigm shift in society, government, industry and economy they try to catalyze. It is a humanitarian propaganda project if you will.

Also new is that B. Piccard's team managed to mobilize the military industrial complex (Dassault Systèmes is one of the biggest manufacturer of military planes and missiles in Europe. Mirage, Tornado, Eurofighter, . . .) and the banking guild (Deutsche Bank is a big fish) for their projects.

[fjaneson]

How about that Yo Yo Steve Fawcett circumnavigating the globe, but below the equator? Whoopee.

Hey I just got up and walked in a three foot circle. Guess what? According to Fawcett's rules, I just circumnavigated the Earth.

Not to take away from solar tech, but we should be zipping around the galaxy with free energy starships by now.

thanks for the links.

[TeslaandLyne]

Steve Fawcett died in a plane crash not to long ago.

Never checked in with air control before the flight and he was never found.

They might have tracked him other wise.