By Alton K. Marsh

Now under construction in Switzerland is a four-motor aircraft destined to
serve as the prototype of a fragile piloted airplane that will circle the
globe on solar power alone.

It will climb during the day to nearly 28,000 feet and descend at night to
3,300 feet. The combined power of the four motors is only 10 horsepower. The
cockpit is unpressurized and unheated; engineers are hoping insulation will
protect the pilot at the higher altitudes. First it must fly, then cross the
Atlantic Ocean.

By 2011 it is hoped the pioneer, Bertrand Piccard, who circled the globe in
the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon, will be able to do the same in his Solar
Impulse aircraft, although it will take a month (slower than the balloon).

--

Isn't 3,300 cutting it kind of close? Also they really need to come up with
a better class name than "fragile piloted airplane."

"Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net> wrote in
:

>
> By Alton K. Marsh
>
> Now under construction in Switzerland is a four-motor aircraft
> destined to serve as the prototype of a fragile piloted airplane that
> will circle the globe on solar power alone.
>
> It will climb during the day to nearly 28,000 feet and descend at
> night to 3,300 feet. The combined power of the four motors is only 10
> horsepower. The cockpit is unpressurized and unheated; engineers are
> hoping insulation will protect the pilot at the higher altitudes.
> First it must fly, then cross the Atlantic Ocean.
>
> By 2011 it is hoped the pioneer, Bertrand Piccard, who circled the
> globe in the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon, will be able to do the same
> in his Solar Impulse aircraft, although it will take a month (slower
> than the balloon).
>
> --
>
> Isn't 3,300 cutting it kind of close? Also they really need to come up
> with a better class name than "fragile piloted airplane."
>

Last I heard of this, he was waiting for a couple of tech advances
before he proceeded. One was material. He was hoping that nanotubes
would come of age but since they haven't, he must have found something
else. Then of course, he needed a leap in solar cell technology, but
that's been moving along as has electric motor technology.

Good luck to him! It'll be one of the biggest tech leaps made in a very
long time


Bertie
>
>

Bertie wrote

>
> Good luck to him! It'll be one of the biggest tech leaps made in a very
> long time
>
> Bertie
>
Don't think of this is a great technical leap, it's just exploiting
some recent advances in solar cells. It's some nice applied
engineering, and a way of putting a human life at risk on a thrill
ride.

Stuff in a moderately stupid computer and GPS, and let the thing do
its trick unmanned with a much smaller payload and no one will be at
risk -- not the pilot, and not those who might have to rescue him.

This really gets filed under the title "Stupid Rich Human Tricks".

For a troll, Bertie, you disappoint me. I expected better. On the
other hand, maybe that's a troll's job.

Sigh.

Tina > wrote in news:12e3b48e-ac1b-4783-8020-
:

> Bertie wrote
>
>>
>> Good luck to him! It'll be one of the biggest tech leaps made in a
very
>> long time
>>
>> Bertie
>>
> Don't think of this is a great technical leap, it's just exploiting
> some recent advances in solar cells. It's some nice applied
> engineering, and a way of putting a human life at risk on a thrill
> ride.


No, it isn't. There are a lot of new technologies as well as some
developed technologies that will all need to work together. The solar
cell issue is the most eye cathcing, but one of th eleast significant.
The structural developments are going to be the most interesting and the
entire system, if it works, is going to be a big step.

>
> Stuff in a moderately stupid computer and GPS, and let the thing do
> its trick unmanned with a much smaller payload and no one will be at
> risk -- not the pilot, and not those who might have to rescue him.

And no fun.
>
> This really gets filed under the title "Stupid Rich Human Tricks".


Nope, this is one of the more exciting aviation endeavers in years.


>
> For a troll, Bertie, you disappoint me. I expected better. On the
> other hand, maybe that's a troll's job.
>
I may be a troll, but I'm a troll who would saw his right arm off to
have seen Post and Gatty land. To have flown in a Standard with Clyde
Pangborn just once, to have seen Jimmy Wedell or Johnny Livingstone
round the pylons or to have heard the clatter of the first Wright four
banger.

Flying is romance and it';s pointless without it. Unlike it;'s nearest
competitor, sex.
And this endeaver fits the criteria.


Bertie

I have no argument with meaningful aviation feats, or aviators. I've
met a couple of the quiet heros who trained at Tuskegee, and have
great respect for the other quiet heros among us. Around here, and
around you, there are people who run into burning buildings!

This thing, howver, is far too much like someone wearing a big watch
to remind everyone around they are in the presence of a genuine pilot.

We worship at different aviation shrines, Bertie.

Tina > wrote in news:1dcabf53-391e-4cf4-a4a2-
:

> I have no argument with meaningful aviation feats, or aviators.



you're great you are.

I've
> met a couple of the quiet heros who trained at Tuskegee, and have
> great respect for the other quiet heros among us. Around here, and
> around you, there are people who run into burning buildings!

Yeh, so what?
I'm not saying the guy is a hero. But I loked at the problem of flying a
glider across oceans a long time ago and I have at least siome idea of
what these guys are trying to do.


>
> This thing, howver, is far too much like someone wearing a big watch
> to remind everyone around they are in the presence of a genuine pilot.

Nah. Don't think so.
>
> We worship at different aviation shrines, Bertie.

Worship?


Ok... .....


Bertie

On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:14:41 -0600, "Gig 601XL Builder"
<wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net> wrote in
>:

>Now under construction in Switzerland is a four-motor aircraft destined to
>serve as the prototype of a fragile piloted airplane that will circle the
>globe on solar power alone.


<http://www.omega.ch/index.php?id=81&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=913&tx_ttnews[backPid]=74&cHash=f890b05f70>
Solar Impulse unveiled airplane prototype