Solar-powered airplane makes first international flight
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Flea_Hop_HB-SIA_-_Solar_Impulse.jpg/220px-Flea_Hop_HB-SIA_-_Solar_Impulse.jpg)
Image: Matth1.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
The solar-powered airplane Solar Impulse touched down at the Brussels National Airport late Friday night, after completing a 13-hour flight from its home base in Payerne, Switzerland. It was the first international flight by a fully solar-powered aircraft.
The experimental aircraft was piloted by André Borschberg, co-founder and chief engineer for the Solar Impulse project, which hopes to circumnavigate the globe using only the sun's energy in 2013. "Our goal is to create a revolution in the minds of people...to promote solar energies -- not necessarily a revolution in aviation," Bertrand Piccard, the group's other co-founder, said in an interview after the flight.
The aircraft collects energy from the sun using 12,000 extremely thin solar cells affixed to the wings and tail section. An on-board battery can store enough electricity to fly all night, allowing the Solar Impulse to stay aloft indefinitely. This allowed the aircraft to maintain a holding pattern over the Brussels airport as other flights landed and conditions were right for the Solar Impulse to land. Because the aircraft weighs only about 3,500 pounds and has a wingspan of 200 feet, it is extremely sensitive to wind and needs calm conditions to land safely.
Related news
- "Solar-powered plane completes 26-hour flight" — Wikinews, July 8, 2010
Sources
- Christopher Le Coq. "Solar plane makes maiden international flight" — Reuters, May 14, 2011
- Osha Gray Davidson. "Solar-Powered Airplane Makes Historic Flight" — Forbes, May 13, 2011
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