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Solar-Powered Plane Makes First Successful Flight
lilbridge writes "The Solar Impulse, a solar-powered plane covered in 12,000 solar cells, took its maiden flight today in Switzerland. The plane stayed aloft for 87 minutes, performing test maneuvers as well as completing a successful takeoff and landing. With the first test flight behind them, the developers can focus on gearing up for their around-the-world solar powered flight set for 2012."
They won't come close to matching Earth's rotation, so I don't see a point to dragging out the length of night and thus requiring larger batteries.
"Now we're getting to Science -- I love this!" -- Dr. Steven Chu, Energy Secretary confirmation hearings.
What we need is a solar-powered plane capable of safely carrying a couple dozen people 500 miles.
"an average speed of 70 kph" - "won't come close" is an understatement.
I would think you'd aim to build something that can act as a glider (and the long narrow wings in the picture look like they are) at night. With batteries giving engines when you need them, but not requiring batteries big (and heavy) enough to last the 18 hours or so when the sun is either not visible too low for the solar panels to generate much power.
Either way, you are going to east with the jet streams - that's going to have far more impact than day length variance.
That's the point I think. If it could keep up with Earth's rotation it could be kept under constant sunlight (or, at least, under an extended period of sunlight) roughly like a sun-synchronous orbit.
English is not my first language. Corrections and suggestions are welcome.
Sorry, but you've not thought through your objection. The plane isn't jumping straight up, for one thing, and for another, the winds generally blow in a given direction at a given latitude.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Are you an idiot?
They aren't claiming first ever solar flight.
They aren't claiming that the solar thing is new and amazing.
They aren't claiming it is impressive in itself.
They are claiming it's a significant milestone on the path to their goal.
The plane stayed aloft for 87 minutes, performing test maneuvers as well as completing a successful takeoff and landing.
Gosh, that is novel. So first it flies for 87 minutes, does several maneuvers and THEN even manages a successful takeoff. Didn't see that one coming. I thought it had crashed on takeoff, but no.
The expression "as well as" does not imply when this successful take off occurred within those 87 minutes. Reading between the lines as you stated and applying a touch of logic would imply that the take off was the first thing to happen within the time mentioned. Also, just because an airplane is capable of powered flight, does not necessarily make it capable of an unassisted take off. If only 87 minutes of powered flight was mentioned, the plane could have been dropped from a balloon and crashed into a barn at the end of its flight. If you are going to be pedantic, at least be thorough.
Pedantic? You bet.
No, not really.
What passes for pedantry on /. has really gone down hill over the years in my crotchety old opinion. It's gone from nitpicking the usage of words that actually have highly specific technical definitions that it actually makes sense to be pedantic about, to trying to find the stupidest way to fail to understand everyday English sentences.
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