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Solar Impulse Announces Flight Across America For 2013
cylonlover writes "Flush with success from their 6,000-km (3,728-mile) Europe-to-Africa round-trip flight earlier this year, the duo behind the Solar Impulse solar-powered aircraft are now planning on flying it across America next spring. It will mark the first time that a solar-powered plane has traversed the country. Solar Impulse partners Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg made the official announcement this Tuesday, although the logistics of the flight have yet to be finalized. They have stated that the trip will be broken into 20-hour legs, starting at San Francisco and proceeding to New York City. As with their previous multi-leg flights, the two pilots will take turns flying the aircraft." You can read about it straight from the doers, too.
Solar planes aren't ideal for carrying cargo due to their low wing loading. This prototype can only carry 400kg of cargo for example.
They're perfect for surveillance, meteorology, and surveying, but they're terrible for moving large amounts of cargo very quickly.
I wish they would check their facts before claiming the first solar flight across the US. In 1990 Eric Raymond flew his Sunseeker solar powered airplane across the US from west to east coast (with multiple stops), but nevertheless 22 years ago. His latest effort is a two place advanced solar powered airplane based on a custom Stemme sailplane fuselage with solar wing and empennage, called Sunseeker Duo. His website is www.solar-flight.com
No they didn't. They flew mostly during the day. Notice the flight was May to July during the longer days of the year. They also spent a significant time gaining altitude using thermals and local lift conditions to conserve battery power. Evidence if this is quote from the Africa trip article.
On its final leg from Toulouse to Payerne, Solar Impulse traveled 615 km (382 miles) in 13 hours 29 minutes at an average speed of 63 km/h (39 mph) and at an average altitude of 3,596 meters (11,800 ft).
If the average speed was 63 km/h and it flew for 13.5 hours it should have gone 850km. Since the distance is only 615 km, where did the other 235 km go? That is almost 28% of the movement. They went to spiraling in thermals and searching for other form of lift to conserve power. It's real average speed if measured as progress toward its destination is closer to 45 km/h. Sorry but Solar Impulse is not an electric powered aircraft. It is a high performance sailplane with a very expensive electric motor to help it get from lift condition to lift condition. It's real average speed if measured as progress toward its destination is closer to 45 km/h.
If you want to impress me do it in November-December in the Northern Hemisphere and fly in a straight line.
You're aware that the sun still shines above the clouds? You may be getting drenched, but 2000 feet up, it's likely a clean sunshiny day. If not - try 3000 feet. Still not happy? Climb some more.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
400 kg of cargo? Almost half a ton? About the payload carried around in most cars and SUV's? Not bad for local deliveries, if you can just work out a safe vertical takeoff and landing. UPS often sends trucks out carrying less than a ton of cargo!
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
I guess I was still thinking inside the box and thought that GP was suggesting using these to replace the cargo jets that transfer goods between distribution centers. Now that you mentioned it, it is indeed excellent for local deliveries. No need to worry about the landing part, just parachute the package down.
Most Fedex/UPS trucks load up once in the morning, spend all day out delivering, and return in the afternoon/evening. Solar planes can follow the same schedule; take off in the morning and land in the afternoon.
Whilst impressive, we've gone a bit backwards in recent years, it was 1986 when the first aircraft successfully flew around the world, non stop, no refueling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager
Call me old, but I miss the old days when we use to circumnavigate the globe, travel to the moon, send probes to Pluto and Neptune.