Post date: Jun 07, 2012 12:21:19 AM
RABAT, MOROCCO (JUNE 5, 2012) (SNRT) - A solar-powered plane has landed safely in Rabat, Morocco after a 19 hour flight from Madrid, completing the first solar powered cross-Mediterranean flight.
Zero fuel aeroplane lands in Morocco from Madrid in first solar powered cross-Mediterranean flight.
Solar Impulse founder, Bertrand Piccard took off from Madrid on Tuesday at 0322GMT (June 5). The plane had arrived in Madrid from Switzerland on Friday (May 25) for a technical lay over, but poor weather conditions forced crew to postpone the take off, initially scheduled for Monday (May 28).
The plane, which requires 12,000 solar cells, embarked on its first flight in April 2010 and completed a 26-hour flight three months later, setting a record flying time for a solar powered aircraft. Thanks to four lithium batteries that store the energy obtained, the plane has the potential to fly at night.
The Solar Impulse project began in 2003 with a 10-year budget of 90 million euros ($128 million) and has involved engineers from Swiss lift maker Schindler and research aid from Belgian chemicals group Solvay.
Built with composite materials and carbon fibre, the structure is very light, just 1600 kilograms, and has the wingspan of an Airbus A340. The plane, however, is difficult to control in turbulence.
The pilot and co-founder of the Solar Impulse project Andre Borscheberg said they had to learn how to better fly the revolutionary aircraft.
The Solar impulse crew divided the challenge of flying for over 2500km without any use of fuel and with zero emissions in two legs.
Borscheber piloted the aircraft from Switzerland to Madrid.
With an average flying speed of 70 km/h (44 mph), Solar Impulse is not an immediate threat to commercial jets, which can easily cruise at more than 10 times that speed.
Project leaders also acknowledged it had been a major challenge to fit a slow-flying plane into the commercial air traffic system.
Piccard said industries should invest in Solar energy in order to reduce the CO2 emissions and obtain revenues.
In 2011, the plane and its crew completed the world's first international flights with a solar-powered aeroplane as they landed at Brussels and Paris airports.
The prospect of flying around the world on a larger version of the craft without having to use any fuel will surely capture the imagination of many.