Captain Piccard's Solar Impulse completes first full test flight, nears another frontier (video)
By Vlad Savov 
posted April 8th 2010 7:51AM
posted April 8th 2010 7:51AM
posted April 8th 2010 7:51AM
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The slooooow motion of the airplane is actually quite unnerving. Like it shouldn't be possible.
@Magnulus
I was thinking the same thing. Those wings must be generating an insane amount of lift to be keeping the whole thing up.
@Magnulus
As someone who has to fly a lot and hates flying, I'd find it somewhat reassuring that if it crashed the brace position might actually do some good.
@Magnulus Can't you see the unicorns?
@Magnulus It may be facing into the wind as well. The CH701 light sport aircraft has a stall speed of 30mph w/ flaps down for example, and into a 15mph headwind it can almost appear to be hovering. =)
@Ducman69
"The CH701 light sport aircraft has a stall speed, uhhhhhhh, of 30mph w/ flaps down for example, and, uhhhhhhhhhhhh, into a 15mph headwind (giggidy) it can almost appear to be hovering."
circumnavigating the globe by 2012?
if it set off in 2012 it wouldn't make it back home till 2014
@Scouse Pricey I think it should set sail in 2011. I mean isn't 2012 a little late? Considering the apocalypse and all.
I don't really understand what good a nighttime test flight does other than test the batteries. Surely this can be done without actually flying the thing?
@mattpez Hogwash!
The cars look like they are doing 80 mph, check the wingspan. I'm sure someone can calculate the lift for us.
Face it Engadget, you just ran this article for the "Captain Piccard" pun.
It's okay, we understand.
@Electrofreak
MAKE IT SO, number one! :)
That plane is damn quiet.
speed of 30 knots? circumnavigating the globe?
Have they ever heard of headwinds? turbulence?
Crossing the Pacific this thing will be torn to shreds.
No offense, but something tells me they probably have a better idea of what they're getting into than you do. Although I'm sure they'd appreciate your concern for their safety.
@Jay Evans
I agree about the turbulance being a problem. I wonder if it can fly as high as the jet stream, then it could pick up another 100 mph or so.
Was there any headwind? That would slow it down while still giving it lift.
The RC world is gaining in popularity. by adding a solar panel you increase flight times, which is very important to an RC hobbyist. Of course This type of technology may be used for much larger aircraft in the future.
@jasongadgetguy You'd be better off with simply a larger LiPo battery. Solar panels aren't light and powerful enough yet to be worthwhile from a practical standpoint.
@Ducman69 Yeah, perhaps one day solar energy will make it that far. If a corporation could figure out how to block out the sun and charge us for it, I bet we would see a lot more advancements in solar technology, lol.
Make it so!
Any idea what the wingspan is? Looks huge.
@bartman
General characteristics
* Crew: 1
* Payload: Lithium Batteries: 450 kg, (capacity: 200 Wh/kg = 90 KWh)
* Length: 21.85 m (71.7 ft)
* Wingspan: 63.4 m (208 ft)
* Height: 6.40 m (21.0 ft)
* Wing area: 11,628 Photovoltaic cells: 200m² (2,200 sq ft)
* Loaded weight: 1600 kg (3,500 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 2000 kg (4,400 lb)
* Powerplant: 4× electric motors, (10 HP) each
* Take-off speed: 35 kilometres per hour (22 mph)
Performance
* Cruise speed: 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph)
* Endurance: 36 hours
* Service ceiling: 8,500 m (27,900 ft) Maximum altitude: 12,000 metres (39,000 ft)
wikipedia ftw
He would be better off just borrowing a shuttle from the enterprise.