Don't know if this is being discussed anyplace else, but the record-setting Solar Impulse aircraft is currently flying across the Pacific from Japan to Hawaii.
The live stream from this project is incredible. A real eye-opener in so many ways, especially in the way that it allows you to feel that you are experiencing technological history being made. Click around and look at all the amazing data being streamed in real time.
Right now its just after sunrise over the Pacific. The Solar Impulse has been flying solely on battery power overnight, and has descended from about 30,000 ft down to around 8000 ft, trading altitude for airspeed so as not to exhaust the batteries. As the sun climbs in the sky the plane will slowly transition from battery power to power generated by the solar cells. Typically the plane makes a turn towards the west (away from the destination) early in the day to give the allow the sun to get the best angle to recharge the batteries.
The aircraft is currently showing around 29 knot indicated airspeed, with a ground speed of a mere 15 knots. Thats like crossing the Pacific ocean at the speed of a club bicyclist. They are still about 2700 km from Hawaii, so at least another day in the air.
So much fascinating stuff for both the pilot and non-pilot alike.
The live stream from this project is incredible. A real eye-opener in so many ways, especially in the way that it allows you to feel that you are experiencing technological history being made. Click around and look at all the amazing data being streamed in real time.
Right now its just after sunrise over the Pacific. The Solar Impulse has been flying solely on battery power overnight, and has descended from about 30,000 ft down to around 8000 ft, trading altitude for airspeed so as not to exhaust the batteries. As the sun climbs in the sky the plane will slowly transition from battery power to power generated by the solar cells. Typically the plane makes a turn towards the west (away from the destination) early in the day to give the allow the sun to get the best angle to recharge the batteries.
The aircraft is currently showing around 29 knot indicated airspeed, with a ground speed of a mere 15 knots. Thats like crossing the Pacific ocean at the speed of a club bicyclist. They are still about 2700 km from Hawaii, so at least another day in the air.
So much fascinating stuff for both the pilot and non-pilot alike.
