Solar Impulse First Flight Achieved

A new pioneering solar-powered aircraft flew for the first time on 7 April 2010.

Set to undertake a round-the-world flight in two years’ time, yesterday’s prototype voyage of the Solar Impulse craft represented a landmark moment for the Swiss team involved in its development. It came after a series of low-altitude ‘hops’, carried out at an altitude of around two feet and lasting for a few seconds.

Solar Impulse measures almost the same across as a large commercial airliner like the Boeing 747, but its wings are covered in an array of 11,000+ photovoltaic panels which collect solar energy and pass it on to four electric motors, from which Solar Impulse derives its power. The panels will collect energy during the day – powering the aircraft along – while stored energy will allow night flights to take place too.

First Flight: Solar Impulse

The first flight of Solar Impulse occurred mid-morning and lasted for almost 90 minutes. During this time, handling checks were carried out in order to assess Solar Impulse’s performance in the air. The pilot was Markus Scherdel, who in an online press release, described his feelings after the flight.

“This first flight was for me a very intense moment!”, he said. “The HB-SIA [Solar Impulse’s registration] behaved just as the flight simulator told us! Despite its immense size and feather weight, the aircraft’s controllability matches our expectations!”

Solar Impulse’s global circumnavigation is scheduled for 2012. Prior to that, further flight testing will take place, including night flights. According to project chairman Bertrand Piccand – the Swiss balloonist set to pilot it – there is still some work left to do. “We still have a long way to go until the night flights and an even longer way before flying round the world, but today, thanks to the extraordinary work of an entire team, an essential step towards achieving our vision has been taken”, Piccand said.

“Our future depends on our ability to convert rapidly to the use of renewable energies. Solar Impulse is intended to demonstrate what can be done already today by using these energies and applying new technologies that can save natural resources.”

Solar Impulse image kindly provided by and copyright of Solar Impulse