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Red-eye flights just got a little greener
by Katie Donley
The Solar Impulse, a single-seated solar-powered plane, broke new records this summer after completing its first overnight flight. The 26-hour, 11 minute flight above Switzerland, seven hours of which were in the dark, was the longest solar-powered air travel in history.
Development of the Solar Impulse plane began in 2003 with the work of two former pilots. Cofounders Bertrand Piccard, the first man to circumnavigate the globe by balloon, and Andre Borschberg, a fighter pilot with a degree in engineering, joined forces to take one “crazy gamble,” as they explain on their website. The two had a vision: create a high-flying hero of zero – an aircraft capable of long-term flight with zero emissions of air pollution or fuel.
 Seven years and a team of over 50 specialists later, they have achieved just that. Composed of lightweight composite materials and high-performance plastics, the Solar Impulse, which first took flight in 2009, is a true hybrid, with “the wingspan of a jumbo jet, the weight of a car, and the power of a [Vespa] scooter,” according to the project team. 12,000 photovoltaic cells rest atop the plane’s ultra-lightweight carbon fiber wings. The cells power the plane’s four 10-HP propeller engines in daylight, while charging 400 kg of lithium batteries for night flight. To survive mid-air weather conditions, the Impulse uses temperature-resistant materials such as PFPE-based temperature-resistant lubricants.
Borsch piloted the long-awaited overnight flight wearing an insulated body suit and a haptic vest to “zap” him awake when his levels of consciousness dropped. The plane landed safely on the ground with three hours of energy still left in the batteries, considerably more than the team had anticipated.
“Yesterday it was a dream; today it is a plane; tomorrow it will be an ambassador of renewable energy,” said Piccard at a Solar Impulse news conference. Though the prototype still isn’t ready for commercial flying – it has no room for passengers, luggage or restrooms, and travels at a speed of 43 mph – the milestone flight is a springboard for future solar-powered ambitions. The Solar Impulse team is currently revamping their plain for a copiloted trip across the Atlantic. They hope to complete a round the world flight by 2013. M
T o keep up with the latest Solar Impulse developments or contribute to the program by “adopting a solar cell,” visit the Solar Impulse supporters program here>
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Photo Credit (Top): First Night Flight - Flight & Landing, Copyright Solar Impulse/AFP/Pool/Fabrice Coffini
Photo Credit (Right): Official Picture of HB-SIA, Copyright Solar Impulse/Stephane Gros
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