Solar plane completes successful test flight
Solar Impulse, a plane designed to circle the world using just solar-power has completed its first successful test flight -- slowly.
The huge-winged plane slowly climbed up to 1200 meters where it glided for 87 minutes before descending back into Payerne military airfield.
Though it only weighs the same size as a family car, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA has wings the size of 747 planes covered with some 12,000 solar cells.
However the round the would trip bosses have planned for 2012 could take a while… the plane currently has a top speed of just 28mph.
"This first flight was for me a very intense moment," said Solar Impulse test pilot Markus Scherdel.
"The HB-SIA behaved just as the flight simulator told us! Despite its immense size and feather weight, the aircraft’s controllability matches our expectations."
The huge-winged plane slowly climbed up to 1200 meters where it glided for 87 minutes before descending back into Payerne military airfield.
Though it only weighs the same size as a family car, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA has wings the size of 747 planes covered with some 12,000 solar cells.
However the round the would trip bosses have planned for 2012 could take a while… the plane currently has a top speed of just 28mph.
"The HB-SIA behaved just as the flight simulator told us! Despite its immense size and feather weight, the aircraft’s controllability matches our expectations."