http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/ Engadget Comments for Captain Piccard's Solar Impulse completes first full test flight, nears another frontier (video) http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 7:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/I was thinking the same thing. Those wings must be generating an insane amount of lift to be keeping the whole thing up.]]>Apr 8th 2010 8:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/
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.]]>Apr 8th 2010 8:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 9:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 10:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/
"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."]]>Apr 8th 2010 11:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/if it set off in 2012 it wouldn't make it back home till 2014]]>Apr 8th 2010 7:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 8:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/
]]>Apr 8th 2010 7:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 8:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 8:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/
It's okay, we understand.]]>Apr 8th 2010 8:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/MAKE IT SO, number one! :)]]>Apr 8th 2010 11:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 8:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/
Have they ever heard of headwinds? turbulence?

Crossing the Pacific this thing will be torn to shreds.

]]>Apr 8th 2010 8:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 9:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/
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.]]>Apr 8th 2010 10:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 9:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 10:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 10:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 3:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 10:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/
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]]>Apr 8th 2010 12:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/08/captain-piccards-solar-impulse-completes-first-full-test-flight/Apr 8th 2010 2:24PM