Aviation News Item: 00601

29th Jun 2009

Source: ubmaviationnews.com

On Friday, the Swiss adventurers Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg unveiled, at Duebendorf airfield close to Zurich, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA, the first aircraft designed to fly both day and night without fossil fuel or pollution. Since the launch of the EUR70m ($98m) project in 2003, a 70-person team constructed and built the research aircraft with a wingspan of a 747-400 and the weight of an average family car (1,600 kg); never before has such a large craft been built with such low weight. Over 12,000 solar cells mounted onto the wing are to supply energy to the four electric motors with a maximum power of 10 HP each. During the day they will also charge the lithium-polymer batteries, which should permit the HB-SIA to fly through the night. The prototype's purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility of a complete day-night-day cycle propelled solely by solar energy, and to act as a symbol for the development of most energy efficient technology in various industrial areas. The aircraft should make its first test flights between now and the end of 2009.

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