Solar Powered Plane Completes Cross-Country Flight

Posted by samzenpus on Sunday July 7, 2013 @08:03AM from the good-landing dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Solar Impulse, a solar powered aircraft, landed at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport completing its historic cross-country flight. From the article: 'The flight plan for the revolutionary plane, powered by some 11,000 solar cells on its oversized wings, had called for it to pass the Statue of Liberty before landing early Sunday at New York. But an unexpected tear discovered on the left wing of the aircraft Saturday afternoon forced officials to scuttle the fly-by and proceed directly to JFK for a landing three hours earlier than scheduled. Pilot Andre Borschberg trumpeted the milestone of a plane capable of flying during the day and night, powered by solar energy, crossing the U.S. without the use of fuel.'"

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Re:Solar Flight, great and all . . . by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2013-07-07 08:43 · Score: 3, Insightful

with no expense beyond the purchase price
As in, requiring no maintenance? Good luck waiting for *that* day in the aerospace industry.

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Ezekiel 23:20
Re:Solar Flight, great and all . . . by Motard · 2013-07-07 09:40 · Score: 3, Insightful

Or Google maps. Or a communications relay. Or a climate monitor. Or a weather monitor. etc.
Re:Solar Flight, great and all . . . by sjames · 2013-07-07 10:54 · Score: 5, Insightful

The Wright Flyer wasn't all that practical either. No cargo, no passengers, one pilot, and less than 900 feet traveled.