Solar Impulse's "Moment of Truth"

Wow. Not your every-day risk when ditching:

"The pilot himself would not go down with the plane because of the risk of electrocution once in the water. Instead, Borschberg would bail out with a dingy and wait for a ship to come pick him up."

6 days in the same seat? He should probably just eat some good Wisconsin food at AirVenture before his journey. He can stay stopped up for a good week.
 
I may just be too cynical, but I concluded a while ago that this is just a self-promotional stunt rather than any attempt at actually advancing technology. Even if successful, this team will only have succeeded a very impractical craft capable of performing a feat that hydrocarbon-powered aircraft were capable of 100 years ago. Still, it's kind of a cool stunt, and you have to admire their ability to do it with other people's money.
 
Lindberg said:
I may just be too cynical, but I concluded a while ago that this is just a self-promotional stunt rather than any attempt at actually advancing technology. Even if successful, this team will only have succeeded a very impractical craft capable of performing a feat that hydrocarbon-powered aircraft were capable of 100 years ago. Still, it's kind of a cool stunt, and you have to admire their ability to do it with other people's money.
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Your namesake made the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris with "other people's money" too. So what? :rolleyes:
 
Grumpy texan... :lol:


This is how technology advances. People take risks. Look at what we learned by going to the moon. Sure, a jet can cross the ocean. Electric planes have to start somewhere. This is the Model A Ford, barely moving down the road.
 
Palmpilot said:
What's the relevance of how it was funded? :confused:
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That they aren't using their own money. :rolleyes2: I'm not sure why this is hard to understand. They get to chase this cool stunt of no real significance without spending their own money.
 
UngaWunga said:
Grumpy texan... :lol:


This is how technology advances. People take risks. Look at what we learned by going to the moon. Sure, a jet can cross the ocean. Electric planes have to start somewhere. This is the Model A Ford, barely moving down the road.
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It has no technological value. It's a flimsy aircraft with a bunch of solar cells and a few batteries. Until PVAs and batteries undergo a exponential increase in efficiency this sort of thing is just a media show.

Nothing in this effort will provide any advances in technology, with the possible exception of refining a method to crap while remaining in a reclining position for several days.
 
3393RP said:
It has no technological value. It's a flimsy aircraft with a bunch of solar cells and a few batteries. Until PVAs and batteries undergo a exponential increase in efficiency this sort of thing is just a media show.

Nothing in this effort will provide any advances in technology, with the possible exception of refining a method to crap while remaining in a reclining position for several days.
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So I gather you're not going to be making a donation to this project? ;)
 
Lindberg said:
That they aren't using their own money. :rolleyes2: I'm not sure why this is hard to understand. They get to chase this cool stunt of no real significance without spending their own money.
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So the relevance of the fact that they are using other people's money is that they aren't using their own money. OK, got it. :rofl:
 
Palmpilot said:
So the relevance of the fact that they are using other people's money is that they aren't using their own money. OK, got it. :rofl:
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It took you a while, but I'm glad we got you there. ;) If I could do worthless cool **** with OPM, I would. But I can't, so I have to just admire those who can.
 
I hope that the telemetry starts working. I tried FlightAware, but it did not have a display for HB SIA.
 
Now they are trying to "Save the Airplane?" That does not sound good!
 
They diverted to their pre-planned alternate in Japan, because the forecast changed, and it didn't make sense to continue in hopes that it would get better. It's on the ground safely at Nagoya.
 
Glad to see their safe on the ground. We are still a long way from electric airplanes,but getting closer.
 
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Just posted to my FaceBook feed:

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That should stir something even in the black hearts of the most cynical naysayers.

Shouldn't it?
 
FastEddieB said:
...That should stir something even in the black hearts of the most cynical naysayers.

Shouldn't it?
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You would think!

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
 
MotoFlier said:
Why not take a co-pilot?
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Because even with a 747-sized aircraft covered with solar panels, you can't carry two people. The plane itself is basically a high-altitude solar-powered drone, just big enough to carry one person.
 
Lindberg said:
Because even with a 747-sized aircraft covered with solar panels, you can't carry two people. The plane itself is basically a high-altitude solar-powered drone, just big enough to carry one person.
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So what? It is a plane running with no fossil fuel, and potentially perpetual energy... thats pretty amazing IMO. Many folks having heard and seen photos of the first Wright brothers flight were naysayers as well.
 
dcotton said:
So what? It is a plane running with no fossil fuel, and potentially perpetual energy... thats pretty amazing IMO. Many folks having heard and seen photos of the first Wright brothers flight were naysayers as well.
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As they should be!.
-gustave whatehead
 
Lindberg said:
Because even with a 747-sized aircraft covered with solar panels, you can't carry two people. The plane itself is basically a high-altitude solar-powered drone, just big enough to carry one person.
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Which, IMO, is awesome. Hell, we went to the moon with no more computing power than a modern calculator. Gotta start somewhere. Who the hell cares how they're funded. They're finding out what works and what doesn't. This is how we move forward.

Or we can keep flying 70 year old pushrod combustion engine designs with a max rpm of 2700. Sure. That seems like a grand idea.
 
UngaWunga said:
Which, IMO, is awesome. Hell, we went to the moon with no more computing power than a modern calculator. Gotta start somewhere. Who the hell cares how they're funded. They're finding out what works and what doesn't. This is how we move forward.

Or we can keep flying 70 year old pushrod combustion engine designs with a max rpm of 2700. Sure. That seems like a grand idea.
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Solar Impulse's goal was accomplished using those old designs more than 100 years ago. A few years ago, one made it around the world without landing in less than three days. Today, those old designs carry hundreds of people halfway around the world without stopping. So if the point is to demonstrate that solar power is still more than 100 years behind fossil fuels, great. But they're certainly not going to prove it's ready for prime time.

OTOH, if the point is just to do something really cool, then carry on!
 
I don't think anyone can predict which new technologies will turn out to be commercially successful/economically viable.
 
UngaWunga said:
Grumpy texan... :lol:


This is how technology advances. People take risks. Look at what we learned by going to the moon. Sure, a jet can cross the ocean. Electric planes have to start somewhere. This is the Model A Ford, barely moving down the road.
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The Model A didn't just "barely move down the road" and was leaps and bounds better than the alternatives of the day.
 
Pacific legs will be different....

I gather these pacific legs might be different. This time fly throughout the night, and instead of then landing towards the end of the night as per previous legs, now the aircraft has to wait for sunrise, then climb back up (I presume night flight involves a partial descent), and at the same time re charge the batteries. Previous flights started with fully charged batteries I presume.

thoughts?

Stan
 
So why don't they just remote pilot the plane? It would be a lot lighter and the only thing you loose is the plane if things go bad. Make him sit in a recliner with a 5 gallon bucket under it for 6 days.
 
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Lindberg said:
Because even with a 747-sized aircraft covered with solar panels, you can't carry two people. The plane itself is basically a high-altitude solar-powered drone, just big enough to carry one person.
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Or an instrument/elint/observation package. To say this program is a valueless stunt does undersell the military industrial complex returns that will be seen on it.
 
Henning said:
Or an instrument/elint/observation package. To say this program is a valueless stunt does undersell the military industrial complex returns that will be seen on it.
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Not really. They already have everything it has on board and could assemble the same craft.
 
AKBill said:
So why don't they just remote pilot the plane? It would be a lot lighter and the only thing you loose is the plane if things go bad. Make him sit in a recliner with a 5 gallon bucket under it for 6 days.
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Either they are remote piloting it or it is semi autonomous already. After all, on a six-day leg, the pilot has to sleep.
 
denverpilot said:
Not really. They already have everything it has on board and could assemble the same craft.
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They WILL assemble the same craft, who the heck you think this program is sponsored by? Why do you think it exists?
 
Lindberg said:
Either they are remote piloting it or it is semi autonomous already. After all, on a six-day leg, the pilot has to sleep.
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It has an autopilot.

I believe I read that the pilot takes twenty minute naps on multi-day flights.
 
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Palmpilot said:
It has an autopilot.

I believe I read that the pilot takes twenty minute naps on multi-day flights.
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That's pretty much the routine on long single handed sailing trips as well. Your fatigue clock is in deep deficit after 36 hours though which is why is basically illegal (in the airplane as well), however is unenforced outside of eliminating insured interest (the whole reason the rules exist in the first place).
 
Henning said:
That's pretty much the routine on long single handed sailing trips as well. Your fatigue clock is in deep deficit after 36 hours though which is why is basically illegal (in the airplane as well), however is unenforced outside of eliminating insured interest (the whole reason the rules exist in the first place).
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What do you mean it's "illegal"?
 
In the three plus weeks that Solar Impulse has been sitting in Japan waiting for a weather window, how many fossil-fuel-powered aircraft have crossed the pacific?

If they make it home, it will be an accomplishment. But it certainly will not demonstrate the maturity of solar power for this application. In fact I think they've already proved the counterpoint.
 
I want my 300h.p. electric motor for the skywagon with a 900 mile range with the same weights and c.g. and I'll switch.

Otherwise I kind of agree it's nothing new, it's just a feat performed with existing tech and lightweight materials which is commendable, but not tech changing earth shattering progress.

What it may can do is bring Joe Plumber out of his armchair long enough to stir some funding for electric flight which would be positive step in the right direction.
 
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