Solar-powered airplane completes trans-America flight

08/07/2013

Solar Impulse – the solar-powered airplane of Swiss pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg – has successfully landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Solar Impulse – the solar-powered airplane of Swiss pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg – has successfully landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. In so doing, it begins a new era in the history of aviation: for the first time, a plane capable of flying day and night powered exclusively by solar energy has crossed the USA from the west to the east coasts, without using a single drop of fuel.

André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard celebrate the completion of the Solar Impulse's Mission Across America at New York's JFK International Airport

Solar Impulse's Mission Across America began in San Francisco on May 3, and made stops in Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, St. Louis (where the plane's inflatable hangar was used for the firs time), Cincinnati and Washington D.C. The 3,511-mile (5,530-km) trip took a total of 105 hours and 41 minutes in the air, for an average speed of 33.14 mph (53.34 km/h).

The flight ended at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport on July 6 at 11:09 pm local time. The pilot for this final leg of the voyage was Borschberg, who had alternated with Piccard throughout the journey.

While Solar Impulse succeeded in finishing the cross-country flight, during the flight from Washington D.C. to New York its left wing suffered an 8-foot (2.5-m) rip in the wing fabric on the lower wing surface. Inspection by helicopter while in flight led to the conclusion that the rip was stable, and would not prevent the mission from proceeding.

After catching their collective breaths, the next set of tasks for the Solar Impulse team is to build and test the next-generation of the solar-powered aircraft. The HB-SIB will be larger and heavier, comprising a pressurized cockpit to allow cruising at altitudes up to 39,000 feet (12 km). Advanced avionics will allow the HB-SIB to safely navigate the airways on transcontinental and transoceanic flights. HB-SIB test flights are likely to begin in 2014.

By Le My

Same Category

Energy saving tips for your winter

04/10/2024

Clean energy brings stable electricity supply to Truong Sa Archipelago 02/11/2022
Energy shifting towards a green economy 07/10/2021
Reduce your energy bills this fall with these tips 28/09/2021
Looking to save on your energy bill? Here are some easy tips 28/09/2021

10 ways to save water at home 26/09/2021

As we face these effects of climate change, conserving water becomes increasingly important. Saving water also means saving money; the average American family spends more than $1,000 on water a year, which can be diminished significantly by addressing the way we use water in our daily lives.
Saving electricity – Practical tips that cut through the noise 26/09/2021

Power is essential for lighting and running appliances at homes and in businesses. With its ever-increasing costs, consumers constantly compare electricity in addition to other practical ways to save electricity.
Energy saving tips for the home – 7 ways to lower your bills 26/09/2021

Worried about soaring gas prices? Our energy saving tips for the home are a great way to lower gas and electricity bills and save precious cash
Quantum chemists conjure recipe to turn gold, silver and copper into vessels of green energy 23/09/2021

Quantum chemists believe gold, silver and copper could help the world take a leap towards green energy after discovering that compounds based on these metal elements and hydrogen are very promising candidates for hydrogen storage.
As heating bills go up, put your energy into keeping costs down 16/09/2021

With wholesale energy prices soaring, millions of householders will face bigger bills next month. But there are ways to save.
5 easy ways to improve energy efficiency 16/09/2021

In addition to navigating a deadly pandemic, improving energy efficiency is likely the top priority for today’s building owners facing costly, mandatory retrofits by 2025.
How to solve the investment puzzle of clean energy transitions in the developing world 19/02/2021

This article looks into three areas where efforts are needed to accelerate investments in clean energy transitions
Viet Nam News Economy Lessons from solar: Rush to invest in wind power plants to get high tariffs could overload grid 09/02/2020

The rush to invest in wind energy to take advantage of the Government's pricing incentives could lead to overloading of the national grid in a repeat of the solar scenario, experts warn.